So I Jumped
by Penmaster51
Summary: Leah was living with her brother with Paladins attacked them. Soon, she found herself stuck with a guy who needs an attitude adjustment and an old friend, all in search of her brother... OC/Griffin Rated for blood/gore/violence & language! *COMPLETE*
1. Chapter 1

***Author's Note* I do not own anything! _Jumper_ (c) 20th Century Fox! I do own my original characters Leah (Jennings) & Danny (Jennings) so no stealies!**

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I screamed for my brother: "Danny! Danny where are you!" The house was on fire and I couldn't see a damn thing at all! The smoke was so thick, only a couple feet above the ground could you see somewhat clearly. "Danny!" I screamed again as a blazing board fell right in front of me. I heard curses and groans of pain in the background but the fire and smoke… I just couldn't see what was going on. That's when I heard my brother cry out, something he never did.

"Danny! Where-where the hell are you!" That was when I saw through a small opening of the burning wood: him fighting a Paladin. "Leah! Run! Get out of here! Go, get! Scram!" His voice was weak and he was bleeding all over the place, from his face to his arms. He was also exhausted from jumping everywhere. Danny wouldn't last long if he kept going on like this. The Paladin stabbed him with his tazzer stick that they always carry around and Danny fell to the ground. In seconds- "Hey! There's another!" I yelled for Danny as the Paladin captain strapped him down with the electric wires and more Paladins came rushing towards me. That's when I jumped.

I felt myself land in the desert, covered in soot and burns. My body ached all over as I got up. Why I desert? I did not know; I was always was the one who wanted to go to warm areas. I started to walk… more like stumbled over the dunes, but soon I couldn't go on. I fell to my knees, feeling the hot wetness in my eyes. Tears started to roll down my dirty face as I though of Danny being tortured by those god-forsaken Paladins! I would have jumped back if I wasn't such a damn wimp!

I rolled down the other side of the sand dune, groaning as I did. I was in pain but I was never going to a hospital in my life. Not after what memories I had formed there…

At the age of fifteen, my parents were mortally wounded. My brother, Danny, was seventeen at the time. We both watched as their hearts stopped beating and the pleading look Mom gave us. Mom was a very outgoing and encouraging person and she also didn't take no for an answer. Mom was a beautiful woman with gorgeous strawberry blond curls with amazing blue eyes. Dad was a hardworking man who had an honest living as a construction worker. He always had a scruffy looking beard that seemed to be turning silver every moment you looked at it and he had dark brown hair with bright green eyes. Dad always commented that Danny was almost a younger copy of him, which he almost was. But his face was more friendly and welcoming than Dad's stern but happy face. He had all these pale freckles that would stand out when he laughed, it made you feel happy too. But I… I was always imperfect unlike my family. I was short for the most part. My hair was a dirty blond, almost to the point it was a brown with highlights. Like Dad's beard, I never could really actually tame my hair. It was always a bit rough looking.

They knew we were Jumpers, people who could teleport to any place at almost any time. They were accepting to us, actually allowing us to practice our powers. The day Mom and Dad was the only day I ever saw my big brother cry. Danny become like a best friend after we jumped back to our house, never to see it again. "Pack your bags; we're leaving. Those guys are going to be coming back sooner or later," he told me. We hurried and within an hour's time limit, we were gone.

More tears flooded my eyes as I sat on the dune with sand in places it should not be in. Mom… Dad… Danny… they were all gone. Ended, done, passed away, kicked the bucket… Dead. I sobbed as I rocked back and forth. It was so unfair! My stomach growled. "Damnit!" I swore then stood up to wipe away most of the dirt and soot from my face. I ruffled through my pockets. Fifty dollars, some pocket lint and… a paperclip? I ignored the paperclip as I jumped to: New York City!

Never been here in my life, since none of my family was the big city type except for my mom. I located a café, ordered a sandwich and coffee and tried my best to ignore the stares towards me. I grabbed my order from the counter, paid and left into a side alley to avoid any people. As I was strolling along, still upset and angry at the world, a guy was pushed out of a back door of a bar. I heard the music blaring as the bartender yelled up him. He spoke with a British accent as he yelled right back at the bartender. The bartender flipped him off and slammed the door right in his face. The guy through up his arms, cursing, then noticed me. I froze, trying not to make any sudden movements. "Wh-" I dropped my order and jumped.

I was back in the desert, racing through the sand. I heard someone shouting after me, undoubtedly the man from a second ago so I jumped again. This time… Paris! I ran through the crowds, sliding and whipping around everyone. I could still hear his voice… I yelled curse words as I heard the running steps of him right behind me. I jumped again to my hometown in Wisconsin.

I panted as I arrived in front of my old house, the one where my parents were attacked and I was raised there. I looked wildly around, looking for the man with the windblown brown hair and accent. Not seeing him, I paced towards the sidewalk. Just as I started to sit down, someone grabbed the back of my shirt and jumped the two of us.


	2. Chapter 2

***Author's Note* I do not own anything! _Jumper_ (c) 20th Century Fox! I do own Leah & Danny (Jennings) and Tyson (Johnson), so no stealies!**

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"What the hell-" I felt the pain rushed through my jaw and I crashed to the ground. "That's for not answering me!" said the man above me who wore all black from his t-shirt to leather jacket to his pants. I stood up; I felt the rage boiling in my veins. "Get the hell away from me!" I yelled at him as we started to circle each other. He laughed and jumped at me again. Prepared this time, I jumped a few feet above him, in the air. He looked around till I almost smashed my foot against his head; he jumped, again, a millisecond before I hit him.

"Want get your f***ing ass kicked?" He asked harshly. He jumped so many times in a zigzag formation; I couldn't keep up until he landed a blow in my stomach. I went crashing a couple yards away away, falling to my knees the last few feet. I spat, seeing blood come out along with my salvia.

"Why don't you just give up?" He kneed me in the stomach again. I gasped as I fell to the ground again, groaning. "Huh?!" I jumped just before his boot hit me and was behind his back when I saw, not the back of his head, but his brilliant blue eyes. I stepped back as he swung a punch to my stomach again. When I fell, I didn't get back up. I felt cornered and weak… always so weak! I grinded my teeth as he spoke.

"Think about this the next time you don't listen." He jumped. I sputtered out the rest of the red gore and staggered up. Revenge blinded me even though I realized I couldn't win. I grabbed his jumpscar and followed him. I landed in the desert… again? I looked around, the world spinning around and around. I saw him pause, through blurry vision, because he heard me jump and he was walking towards me when I passed out.

"Wake up! Damnit, wake up!" I felt an unknown shake wake me and I was up in an instant only to sway around wildly. As my vision settled, I realized it was the unnamed man I was fighting a moment ago. "Woke up, huh, now?" He asked fiercely, circling me again. My words slurred together like I was drunk as I said, "I'm not scared of you." He got right in my face, he actually had looked down on me, and whispered, and "You should be." I shove his face out of mine weakly and looked around for the exit. The whole area was covered in papers of all sorts from drawings, news clippings and just random junk looking to me. I continued on looking for an exit.

"Get away from me," I muttered as I slowly climbed the dune outside his little hole. "You don't know where the hell you are and you go stomping out? You're much more of an dumbass than I thought!" I growled something under my breath as I kept walking up until I reached the top.

Nothing. Nothing but damn sand! I jumped angrily to a new location, glad to be away from him, whoever _he_ was.

As I strolled down a sidewalk of my hometown, kicking a small rock I found I ran into someone I though I'd never see.

Danny had many friends during middle school and the first two years of high school. But he started to hang out with me more and more often so he started losing them, one by one. After I left high school (it was actually my senior year when my parents died), we have never seen any of them since the day before our parents died.

He had matured since I had last seen him. His blond hair was spiked with black points. His figure was tall and muscled, but not to the extreme and his shoulder length was broad. I looked into his dark green eyes… they were the funny, happy and joking eyes he was in high school but Tyson seemed a bit different. Maybe there was a cold and hardened side of him; i guessed right when i saw his eyes harden for a moment before he realized it was me. But I didn't care; he was the only person I knew and remembered from high school.

"Tyson…" I jumped and grabbed around his neck, not caring about the stares I got from other people. I heard him chuckle as I squeezed him, feeling so happy. I haven't felt this happy… well, for a while! "Tyson! Tyson, it's really you! Oh my god, oh my god!" I practically jumped in place in front of him as he smiled at me.

"Nice to see you too, Leah." His eyes looked over my, filthy and disgusting looking. He also noticed the bruise and bloody lip with the red dribble on my plain grey t-shirt. "Come on to my apartment. I'll find some spare clothes for you…" As he dragged me along, I remembered the man I had just fought (and lost to).

Did this look normal to Tyson?

Wouldn't have _normal_ people panic at the sight of blood?

So many questions flooded my mind as we walked into a small alley beside an old hardware store. "Take a deep breath…" I smiled, knowing exactly what his was going to do. "I can jump too." The last thing I saw before I grabbed his hand as he jumped was the look of surprise on his face.

We landed in a small apartment, in the living room. Two couches sat on ether side and a TV sat in between them with a coffee table. On the coffee table was a small plant with large green leaves.

I wrapped my arms around myself and he said, "Home sweet apartment." I laughed half-heartedly at the cheesy joke. He strolled to this island connected to the wall. I strolled after him, happily humming. He chuckled to himself as he went behind the counter/island, rummaging for something.

"What?"

"You still have that habit of humming! I'd figured you've lost that by now."

"Is that supposed to mean anything, Tyson?"

I placed my hips and gave him a funny, stern look. He laughed and said, "Nope. Nothing at all, Leah. There's a bathroom just down the hallway." I looked around the island and there was a short hallway. The bathroom was the first of the three rooms on it. The next room I guessed was Tyson's bedroom… and a guest bedroom? In the area across from the counter/island was the dinning room with a patio counted to it. The doorway was in between the dinning room and the family room. "Cozy," I said to myself. More home-y than the places Danny and I had lived in.

"The first room down the hallway," Tyson repeated. I nodded and I realized what he was doing. He pulled out a First Aid Kit from a cabinet below the counter/island.

"I'm fine… Really, I am Tyson." I told him sternly.

"Have you seen you're face? Bloody and dirty it is. Go take a shower or I'll pick you up and force, then lock you in the bathroom until you choose to take one."

I chuckled as I walked to the bathroom and closed it's door behind me. I quickly peeled off my gory and filthy clothing, now happy to be in the shower. I turned the water on full blast and climbed in. For a first few moments, I felt fine until I turned my face slightly. "Ow…" I felt my jaw; I could just imagine it was all bruised and it was bloody too. I rubbed it gently as I stood in the shower. I heard a small knock. I froze, the suspicious feeling growing in my stomach. I heard nothing else come, so I went onto to standing in the hot water and feeling the steam arise from it. After drying off and wrapping myself in the towels in the bathroom, I realize I didn't have any clean clothes to put on. I slowly opened the door, peering out. Tyson was sprawled on one of the couches not facing me. I looked down and saw some actual female clothing. I picked it up and changed quickly into them.


	3. Chapter 3

***Author's Note* I do not own anything! _Jumper_ (c) 20th Century Fox! I do own Leah & Danny (Jennings) and Tyson (Johnson), so no stealies!**

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Just before I walked out, I saw my face in the mirror. Tyson was right: it looked terrible. I huffed away the anger towards that man and strode out to see him in the kitchen now. He was cutting what looked like salami and had cheese and crackers on a plate beside him.

"Why are you still here? I mean, didn't you plan on going to college?" I asked him.

He paused, thinking about it for a moment. Then he responded.

"The night your parents died. They came after mine. But, I never told you this but my father was also a jumper so he took my mom and they got away. I had been a jumper for a year before that. I haven't heard of anything from them sense then. Till I saw thier death in a newspaper in New York."

I nodded and bit my lip. Tyson was the one who could easily lie to you and make you believe but I had known him all too well for that crap. There was something else that made him stay and I was going to find out what.

"That's not only why."

He turned to me then smiled in my direction. He still had those odd mood swings, more than I did.

"No, it's not. I was also waiting for you and your brother to come back. By the way, where is he?" He genuinely looked concerned as he stared at me. His face was now a slight frown. I tried saying Paladins but my throat choked up. I tried again but closed my mouth before I said anything. I kicked myself mentally. I'm such an idiot; this is Tyson for crying out loud! Like the closest thing I had to a best friend without Danny!

I sighed quietly and then whispered, "Paladins."

Tyson all of a sudden froze. His eyes seemed to widen with anger after I spoke the word. He stopped cutting the salami and stabbed the knife into his cutting board. "It was about a day… and a half ago? I'm not sure that is how long ago though… I lost track of days for the past while, actually." He nodded curtly and then asked his question; he dropped our conversation about Danny.

"Where did you get that hell-of-a bruise there? I figured you were the one that could always fight and hold your ground."

I almost snarled as I brought up the painful memory of the powerful British man.

"I ran into a pissed-off Jumper who was angry at for not… listening? I think it was something else though… seemed really agitated to find another Jumper behind him." Tyson frowned as he started up again cutting our snack.

"Did he have… messy brown hair? Blue eyes?"

I slowly nodded my head, watching Tyson's reaction. His muscles stiffened as he continued cutting and keeping his head low. I wondered why does he want to know.

"… Did he also where all black?"

"Yup. Why is this so important? I mean- he was a complete ass since he attacked me in the first place for no apparent reason. I just say forget him."

Tyson's body shook with a great laughter. "You can never forget Griffin O' Connor."

We both sat one of each of the couches, sitting and watching TV. The empty snack tray was on the coffee table. As I shifted once again on my couch, with Tyson snoring away, I thought of Griffin.

He defiantly needed an attitude adjustment and in desperate need of social skills. A jackass is what he was to me but yet, with the history of what Tyson told me, he had every right to be. At least, I was an adult and could pretty much live on my own without my parents even though them dieing left a giant hole in my heart to do so. I also had someone to live with, Danny. Well, I did… My thoughts drifted again to my brother.

Danny was the guy everyone wanted to be best friends with. Girls wanted to date him and guys wished they were in his shoes. But he never got snotty and arrogant about it. When I had my first jump in seventh grade, he welcomed me with open arms. He seemed to know what he was talking about how to jump and all sorts of the things that came with it. I became what his friends called "his shadow". But once I started high school, I was always near him. My brother would protect me and live beside me like my guardian. "A guardian angel," I called him once. He had a smile that would just make any bad day seem good and his laughter was all you needed to get through a day.

"A guardian angel…" I whispered to myself and Tyson snorted, as if a comment to me to shut-up.

But there I was always; his imperfect shadow. I tried everything I could to be as good as him, to excel in every subject and get along with everybody. But I became the stubborn child and a B- was the best I could ever get. I was very smart, but I was only street-smart. I loved reading but I threw myself into any fantasy book I could get my hands on so I didn't have to worry about my lonely pre-teen years, a.k.a. reality, and I hated touching history books. I also wouldn't give in without a big, damn fight. In some ways that was good but Danny told me once that I fight for all the wrong reasons and I should learn to direct my anger at things I could actually fight for, not fight against. I became the child teacher's groaned at when they found out they had me. I was like this even before high school; in it, it started out worst until Danny fixed me up.

Tyson and I were the wannabe emo/punk pair of people of the high school. I even turned my hair black to be in the spirit. Tyson and I were almost caught for spray-painting the high school but they had no way to prove it (a.k.a. I jumped there and I told Tyson I'll make sure they don't find out; they didn't because I was able to destroy any footprints and jumped the paint cans to the farthest garbage dump I could find). I was the problem child with anger issues. The only problem I had was that I had no way of letting anger out of my system; I was short and was out of shape till puberty hit. I normally only swore so much because I had no way of putting my feelings into words.

Though after freshman year, which is when Tyson and I spray-painted the side of the school, I did calm down from hanging around Danny. I still had that headstrong personality and I am kind of glad I didn't lose it; it makes me, well, me! If I wanted to speak, I would say whatever I wanted to say though I am a bit more hesitant to jump into a conversation than I once was. Even to this day, Danny told me that I still sometimes get riled up easy and I do agree with him. He also told me angry gets you nowhere but hatred and pain though it may seem like a good fighting partner, whom later on, we both found out was good. I thought, but I never told him because it was too low of a blow, even for me, what about the Paladins? Our parents did nothing wrong but keep us alive. Did they deserve to die such a brutal life? What about their hatred? They seem to be winning with it…

Danny was undoubted the leader of us two for many reasons: a) he was older than me, b) he has been jumping longer than me, and c) he was a more of a leader then I will ever try to dream of. He could get even the worst of enemies to work together. He was… just perfect, for the lacked of a better term.

He did have a temper though and when he got angry, he ranted and ranted until you fell asleep then he ranted more because you fell asleep. I normally teased and picked on him until it did piss him off and I was chased (a.k.a. jumped) around until he cooled off. But the problem is that he always truly had a reason to be angry with someone and it made you feel real guilty.

It was like your best boyfriend: adorable, friendly and smart. You were the little punk girl with the taste for danger and destruction. You end up getting caught making out with another guy and he doesn't dump you but instead he ignored you. At first you become so pissed off, you do the same to him. After a while you get annoyed and you pestered him until he spoke those dreaded words: "Leave me alone." The guiltiness kicked in and you can barely stand it. You end up crawling back and he is standing there with open arms, smiling and grinning. In some ways, it's pure torture but you felt so great to be welcomed again you completely forget about it.

Tyson stirred in his sleep as I am sitting upside down on the couch, my feet up on the top of the couch. All that past thinking and personality checks had made my head hurt… or was it the fact that I was upside down? Not caring which one it was I jumped to the kitchen. I rummaged through the draws until I found a pen and notepad. I wrote:

_Went to out for a walk…be back soon. _

_Sincerely, Leah_

I placed the note on the coffee table next to his couch and jumped to the back door of the apartment building, finding it drizzling.


	4. Chapter 4

***Author's Note* I do not own anything! _Jumper_ (c) 20th Century Fox! I do own Leah & Danny (Jennings) and Tyson (Johnson), so no stealies!**

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I paused as I glazed around after walking for the past fifteen minutes down the sidewalk. This town could only be a few minutes from Tyson's old home and maybe a couple more minutes from mine. When I looked around, I realized I had really no idea where I was. Shrugging off the problem, I jumped back to Tyson's apartment with little amusement. The walk had only gotten me out of the apartment not out of boredom.

I pulled down my hood from my jacket and looked around. Everything was quiet in the living room. I heard some noise coming from Tyson's room… I investigated. I slowly pushed the door open and peeked around it. Tyson had some music playing on his radio and he packed a small backpack.

"What are you doing?"

He almost jumped five feet in the air when I spoke.

"Leah- doesn't give me a damn heart attack!" He stared at me hard and seemed annoyed. "Are you talking about taking a walk?" I asked sweetly, knowing just how to annoy him the right way. "No! Leah, I mean about scaring the shit out of me!" He shouted angrily. Then his zipper got stuck. "God damnit, useless piece of sh-" I grabbed the backpack, placed in front of his face and zipped it without trouble. He growled something intangible.

"Where are you- we- going? Somewhere important?" Tyson pulled on his old grey & black cap that smashed his blond hair against his scalp and made some of it poke out underneath. I raised my eyebrows at him; that was the same cap he had during high school. The one I got for him for Christmas my freshman year.

"Yes; somewhere very important. To Griffin's little place in the middle of nowhere." My shoulders slouched and my face turned into a scowl. My eyes narrowed with angry. The memories were fresh from when he beat the crap out of me and I didn't plan on seeing him again. "I don't want to go back to Griffin, Tyson. I have had enough of him already." I spoke clearly and sternly at Tyson and I knew he got the message…

"Well, I don't give a damn! You're going with me."

… Somewhat. I blew my bangs out of my eyes, as I leaned against the doorframe as he was rummaged through more drawers. I crossed my arms stubbornly and frowned as he finished up packing. He tossed a light backpack to me and as I swung it around to my other shoulder, Tyson walked out and he muttered to himself. I followed after him, as I tried to pick up on what he is saying.

"You know, there has to be other ways for us to rescue my brother besides going to _him_!" I said loudly as Tyson stretched his hand towards me. I knew instantly he wanted my backpack so I slipped it off and handed it to him. He started to rummage once again, through every cabinet and drawer again. He pulled out all kinds of dry find from cereal to granola bars. He pulled out _a lot_ of granola bars.

"I hope you plan on packing water after all that dry food," I commented to him. He ignored him, zipped the backpack and handed it back to me. "Jesus Christ! What _did _you pack in here? Was it only granola bars or bricks?!" I complained to him as he swung on his. He rolled his eyes and said, "I'm the one carrying your clean clothes so if you don't want to wake up in rags for the next month-"

"Wait, _month_? When did you tell me that this was going to be a frickin _road trip_! A couple of days maybe, but not a frickin month!" He laughed at me anger so I threw a punch into his shoulder. When I made contact he leaped back and said some really nasty swear words combined with words no one else should have to hear.

"I see you've still got your sick and perverted vocabulary, Tyson." He smiled as he grabbed my hand. The heat rushed up to my cheeks also making my ears get pink and then he jumped.

The sun blazed on my back. Sweat poured down my brow. Where were we? The god damn desert.

"Where in hell are we!" Tyson repeated for the uncountable time.

"In the desert, dumbass," I muttered as I shoved pass him. He huffed and tripped me. I jumped just a second before to land only a foot away. I still landed flat out on my face. "Thank you Captain Obvious!" I heard the amusement of his in his voice. I pushed my forehead deeper in the sand and didn't get up. No way in hell I got up in that beating Sun! We had been jumping and had walked about for how long? I had not kept track so I had so sense of time in this God forsaken land! But I did know that we had walked long enough that I couldn't get the damn feel of my legs. I heard him say get up but it just right out the other ear.

"I'm not getting up, Tyson!" I said through a muffle so I didn't get sand in my mouth.

"Get up, lazy butt!" I felt a strong hold on my neck collar and he heaved me up. I frowned angrily as I faced him. I ruffled my hair to get the sand out and he passed me, rolling his eyes. I watched him go by me in the Sun's way.

He had his cap off so I got a full look at his hair and face again.

Tyson had dyed his hair all different colors but he always told me he liked Bleach Blond the best for some reason. He had his left eyebrow pierced and had his right cartilage pierced too. He had both gotten those done when I went with him to his dad's friend tattoo & piercing parlor. I had my cartilage also pierced and had my ears double pierced at the bottom at the time. Only my cartilage remained now. He had always been about half a head, or a bit more, taller than me.

His personality was quite odd; he had always pulled off quicker mood swings than any girl or female teacher I knew. He often kept me laughing when I tried to be all serious and depressing. He promised he'd never actually go down that road. Tyson was a complicated person for those who weren't his closest friends. From afar with his pals, he looked friendly and playful. But if you were a stranger and came up to him alone, you were treated with suspicion because "I have had bad experiences with 'nice' people getting close to me," he gave me the reason for his odd behavior.

Tyson was totally new to the school when he came as a freshman at the high school with me. He was actually supposed to be in sophomore but during Elementary school he got held back in whatever grade he did. So he was technically, a year older than me. He really didn't really mature all until… well, he never did once 'matured' in my eyes during the time I was with him.

"Tyson, didn't you have your tongue pierced once?"

He laughed happily at the old and happy memories. "Yeah, but then it got infected. Wanna see the scar?" He yanked out his tongue and got in my face. I shoved him out of the way as I told him that he was inhuman. But I did notice the little, odd-colored 'x' mark it left on his tongue.

"Ah, little lovers lost." My mind instantly recognized the voice that came from right behind me and a shiver raced down my spine. If he wanted a fight I'd give it to him without hesitating.


	5. Chapter 5

***Author's Note* I do not own anything! _Jumper_ (c) 20th Century Fox! I do own Leah & Danny (Jennings) and Tyson (Johnson), so no stealies!**

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The adrenaline pumped through my veins as I heard him laugh- that damn bastard! My mind blew up with insults but I had held my tongue. After all, actions speak louder than words.

Tyson stood up rigid.

"You seem to be cheerful, Griffin."

I turned around slowly and I saw him as he strode towards us. He had a smirk plastered on his face. That is till he recognized me.

"What in bloody hell are you doing here?!"

I lifted my chin higher. I had known people some-what like Griffin before and I knew that gesture was a challenge. His posture totally changed; he became aggressive and his hands balled into fists. He jumped and then got right in my face to the point I couldn't smell anything but his breath.

"I would f***ing leave if I were you."

My eyes bore right into his; I stood almost eye-to-eye with him. I wasn't afraid of him not until I started losing the fight.

"Make-" Tyson broke it up by shoving me back. He just had reached for Griffin when the man jumped a few feet back. If he was a cat he would have been hissing and spitting when he spoke.

"What you want? I have no time for you dumbasses! Why can't you just leave me be?!" His voice was full of anger. But I wondered why he had taken his precious time to find us… or was it by accident?

My emotions flared and I stomped towards him when Tyson had stopped me again. I huffed and I had let Tyson speak. "You owe me a favor." I almost shivered at Tyson's cold voice. Rarely did he ever have used that. Griffin snorted but did not respond. Feeling like I could stand up for myself, I stepped beside Tyson, "Why does he owe you a favor, Tyson?"

"He lost a fight and the other Jumper tricked him into these power lines. I somehow made a wrong turn and ended up where he was. I was able to help him finally after he ranted about-"

Griffin became angry very quickly and he spoke, "Shut-up already! Look, I don't have time to talk with you. So f*** off!" With that he disappeared and I shoved past Tyson, who called after me. I grabbed his jumpscar.

I landed in the same room I remembered that I had walked away from Griffin after he beat the shit out of me. I stared around- burned drawings and newspaper clippings. Everything seemed a bit torched though there was fairly new stuff lying around.

"Get out!"

I spun around to see him; his face showed his irritation that I followed him. At that moment, if I were a cat I would be purring with amusement because I found a way to annoy him.

"If you owe Tyson a debt-"

He jumped in front of me, barely two feet away and said loudly back, "I don't owe your boyfriend shit! Now get out!" I planted my feet firmly and allowed myself to get angry.

"I have had enough of your f***ing shit, Griffin!" My cheeks glowed red as my voice raised, "My brother is in need of help-" That's when he got in my face again. I almost spat right in his face because he disgusted me when he did that. "You can't help your brother. He's nothing but dead now-" That is when I threw the punch. I caught him unexpectedly and just as he said, "You asshole!" And was lunging towards me, another jumper tackled him from out of the air.

"Holy sh-" I leaped backwards, swearing. Tyson scrambled up, shaking his head. Griffin was already standing, grinding his teeth furiously. "Tyson! You shouldn't have done-" Tyson whipped out a pocket knife (I did not ask where he kept it) and pointed it in his direction (I also wondered if he could actually be fast enough to hurt Griffin with the knife). His eyes were in flames but his face was blank as he said, "Don't you dare touch her…" His voice trailed off and Griffin stood up straight.

"Her brother was an idiot like the rest of them, whoever he is- he didn't know what he was getting himself into Tyson! He's dead now anyways. Get over it." I started to snarl something really nasty but Tyson had stopped me. "Danny isn't dead. I know that. You know that too because you were tracking the paladins that attacked their apartment." His face was scowling as Tyson spoke this but he did not deny it. They stared down each other as Tyson stood in front of me.

"Wait, wait," I spoke up, "first off, my brother is not an idiot and second, he is alive and I plan on rescuing him." Griffin laughed darkly. "Good luck with that; he's probably already rotting somewhere. I wouldn't try and track those Paladins; that's my job." I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Then why can't we help you?"

"I work alone."

"You really are selfish aren't you? Some idiot that's-that's just picking off people! And they are popping up faster then you can kill them; you've already met your match and someone else probably killed him too! You're nothing but a god-damn-idiot!" The room went silent. Griffin looked at me with these cold eyes and I repressed a shiver. I just walked into something I shouldn't have but Tyson came to my rescue. Again.

"Griffin, we just need you to find the Paladins for us or where ever they may keep him. One thing is all we ask and then we'll leave you alone. Forever."

He turned his eyes into slits. "What if I say no?"

I spoke boldly, "I hope you have planned on what to do if you, yourself started to get tracked." I had done my best to try to get my face blank but I knew that my face was still full of angry toward him.

"Fine. Now get the f*** away." He waved us away and strode to his computer. I jumped as soon as that last word had come out of his mouth.

I jumped a few times, trying to get away from Tyson. I was in no mood at the time to be with people. As I raced through the streets, Griffin's harsh words had echoed in my ears.

_"You can't help your brother. He's nothing but dead now."_

_"He's dead now anyways. Get over it."_

I slowed down and turned into a small matter how hard I tried to be tough, his words had really struck a cord inside me. I never did like that feeling; feeling alone and useless. I was in a sense: people wanted me dead and the true only family, though we weren't blood, was Tyson. Griffin was right- Paladins wouldn't keep my brother alive. But a spark of hope flared in my chest. He was strong and courageous! He wouldn't go down without a fight… but he was no miracle. He would eventually die from the torture they probably are or did put him through. Plus, if he did live we would never end up living in spot for long as we did. We would be hunted like animals much similar to Griffin. I did notice the scar on his neck; the scar certainty came from a Paladin. A very strong one for the way it looked.

"Leah!"

I stopped automatically at the voice. Tyson was a faster runner than I would ever be even. Though, I could probably jump faster than he could. "Leah-slow-down!" He panted as he jumped right next to me, leaning against the wall. His chest rose up and down as he breathed deeply. I once again admired his body; he was naturally tall and thin but as he got older in high school he started to gain muscle. I never asked how he got them… maybe he had exercised after school? Nah, Tyson was never an energetic person. He was actually the laziest person I have known during my life time.

"Don't let Griffin bother you Leah. He's just a jackass…" His voice trailed off as he looked at me. I turned away quickly so Tyson couldn't guess what I was thinking but I was too slow.

"Oh Leah, Danny is fine. He's probably tracking us as we speak- he'll be fine," he repeated. I felt his eyes on me and mine started to tear up in that moment. Tyson tried to walk around me but I avoided. He stopped and stood there for a moment, obviously puzzled by my situation, "We should jump back to my apartment." I nodded in agreement.

"I guess I didn't have to pack any clothes- I figured Griffin would have held his word about owing me a favor and he would show us where Danny was… I think I'll have to pack a different snack other than granola bars next time." I stayed quiet, but I knew this truly bothered Tyson and he could tell I was bothered by something. He jumped and I had slowly followed after him.

I lay in bed after we had been back at Tyson's apartment for an hour or more. I was sobbing quietly as possible to not worry Tyson, who was taking a shower. The shower had stop and I heard the door open; music poured out of it. My door was closed for privacy, also to protect my eardrums, and I had yet to change back into clean clothes sense mine were still sandy. The blaring music, that had now been coming from Tyson's room next-door, abruptly stopped. I covered my mouth, trying my best to stop crying. But he heard anyway; as the door started to open I shifted my back to the door. He slowly climbed beside me, hesitant if I would push him away. I stiffened, unsure what to do but I finally let my body relax and I rolled towards him. He pulled me close to his body, wrapping his arm around my shoulders; I could not help but look up at him. He looked back at me, his hair still partly wet. I realized something: I liked Tyson. A lot. The feelings must have been mutual as he allowed my head to lie on his chest.

"Leah…" He brushed my bangs out of my hair as I started to doze off.

Both of us fell asleep in that position.


	6. Chapter 6

***Author's Note* I do not own anything! _Jumper_ (c) 20th Century Fox! I do own Leah & Danny (Jennings) and Tyson (Johnson), so no stealies!**

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It was only dawn when I woke up. I oddly heard Tyson snoring right- then I saw his face and smiled to myself. I quietly slipped out of his clinging wrap around me and changed into my clothes. I could feel the early morning chill still in my bedroom. I strode happily into the kitchen seeking out breakfast. A normal, peaceful- thudding came outside Tyson's door. I froze, my muscles tightened and I inhaled sharply, almost like a hiss. The last time a noise had come out of the door like that was when my home and brother were taken away from me.

I wanted to say whose is there but I held my tongue. I grabbed a kitchen knife from the counter, my adrenaline pumping and my hand shaking. I reached the door and slowly opened it; I could feel the beads of sweat rolling down my forehead. Let's see those Paladins take away Tyson from me… I opened the door.

A few envelopes lay on the hallway ground. I sighed and picked them up only to jump from shock to see Griffin standing down the hallway. I almost leaped at him with knife before I could recognize him when Tyson appeared at my side. "Take it easy Leah," he whispered to me. He was already changed into a white t-shirt and his regular blue jeans. But his face was not Tyson's face; it was once again replaced with a cold stare. I had made the connection that Tyson was copying Griffin with their blank faces and only angry eyes.

I rolled my eyes to myself as Tyson pushed me aside to let Griffin in; so typical male. I wasn't trying to sexist but they also had acted tough and unbreakable until they did break. Then their souls would rip apart, one piece at a time till they couldn't take it anymore and- "Leah!"

I shook my head and blinked at the two of them. I made eye contact with Tyson but avoided Griffin's glaze. But I saw the sneer on his face when he realized what I was doing. I just wanted to scrape it off his damn face, that god damn- "Leah, what are you doing with a knife?" My face paled when I saw I was still holding the kitchen knife in my palm.

"Oh, um… I, uh… I thought whoever was out there was a Paladin, that's all." I shot an angry glare at Griffin before I jumped into the kitchen and put the knife away. I then jumped back to Tyson's side, using him to shield me from Griffin. That bastard still annoyed the crap out of me.

"Well, I decided to drop in because I seem to have found out where your brother is- happy for you but-" I spoke before he could, "You found him? Oh my god, that means he's alive!" I would have jumped up and down if Griffin had not present in our company. My brother, Danny who was attacked in a burning house by Paladins, was alive! Tyson smiled at me, his eyes glowing their normal glow but they hardened just before he returned to Griffin.

"What's the catch?"

Griffin shrugged and for a moment, I didn't get what Tyson was talking about. Then it hit me. They could be saying he was alive; for all I knew then, he was buried in the ground in some unknown region on this Earth. The thought had struck panic in my heart and for I moment, I thought it wasn't worth it to be crushed again. Just like I thought my parents would be okay, would live to see me finish high school. I almost scowled; look how that had turned out.

"I say you don't attack this group; they obviously remember there was another Jumper there. She's not forgotten- using her brother, whether or not he is actually f***ing alive, is a very easy reason for her to come to their little damn trap. And if they have brains, which they damn do, they would guess she has friends." Tyson lifted his chin towards the shorter but older and experienced man. "So what if she does?" Griffin narrowed his eyes at Tyson, as if he was an idiot of no worth. "Kill two birds with one stone," I spoke up before Griffin could.

Then I looked frighteningly at Tyson, "Except they'll kill more than one of us…" Tyson glanced at Griffin. "You aren't coming?" Griffin shook his head and strode between the two of us, headed out the door. But his loud voice said right before he jumped, turning to face the two of us in the doorframe was, "I don't want to be killed with you and your girlfriend." Then he disappeared. But nether of us said we weren't a couple that time.

I jumped to my room, Tyson appearing to my side. I was ruffling through everything in here, looking for tools of whatever sort. "What are you doing?" Tyson's voice asked me. I didn't answer him as I whacked a flashlight a couple of times to get it going again. Then tossed it on my bed when it didn't work.

"I'm going to find my brother."

"You heard Griffin! Maybe, Leah…" His voice trailed off. I whipped to face him, my eyes burning in shock. "Maybe what, Tyson? Maybe what!" My voice rose, as the sun got also higher. He shifted uncomfortable; I knew he didn't want me to get angry. "Leah, maybe he's not alive…"

"Then what if he's not? What he is waiting for me there, being tortured?! Am I suppose to sit on the sidelines and watch like some goddamn fan?! NO! I'm supposed to help him!" Wetness in my eyes blurred my vision, stirred up with my emotions. "Am I suppose to just let him die because I was too afraid to not go because Iwould die?! Danny had the future not me, Tyson, and you know that! He had the potential to be great instead the f***ing Paladins came and ruined it! All of it, took it away from us! We run and hid for the next years, slowly adjusting to not seeing our parents anymore! Do you know how-" I stopped short and I had knew I had come too far with that. Tyson's face was getting red from what old emotions I stirred in him.

His voice hissed angrily, "I know all too well how it feels to lose someone you love, LEAH." He spoke my name coldly to me and disappeared. I sank to my knees in my room, which was in his apartment and was paid by his job. I started to sob quietly into my hands. Tyson, who was technically the first man I truly loved (we had technically slept "together", falling asleep in the same bed) was gone… for now. But my brother being tortured, the thought of seeing him weak was too strong for me to sit and cry about messing things up with Tyson.

I couldn't have cared about Tyson anymore as I finished finding a piece of his knife collection to bring along. I was going whether or not I was to meet Death in the end.


	7. Chapter 7

***Author's Note* I DO NOT own anything! _Jumper_ (c) 20th Century Fox! I DO own Leah & Danny (Jennings) and Tyson (Johnson), so- Leah & Danny (Jennings) and Tyson (Johnson) (c) to Penmaster51, aka ME! Also, I DO NOT Axe Cologne! Belongs to its rightful owners!**

* * *

I held my breath, breathing in the forest fumes. Pine trees surrounded me as I walked in broad daylight through it. I had already stopped by Griffin's place under a rock. He then gave me, angrily, the coordinates to where Danny was hidden or planted, or whatever!

I told my mind to shut-up, to focus on the task at hand but it kept straying to Tyson and where he had ended up jumping to. Hopefully not to Griffin's place, which then would tell him, "Your girlfriend just went through here." Then Tyson would argue with him that I am not his girlfriend and state that we're only friends, though that all three of us completely knew that was a lie.

I paused, feeling something was wrong. Very wrong. I had reminded me of suspenseful moments of a movie; where the hero is about to meet up with the villain. They would fight and the hero would end up getting what he/she wanted and happily ever after. I snorted to myself; if my life were a fairytale- how easy and unexciting it would be.

"What was that?" I stopped walking, straining my neck to see anyone.

"Gottcha!"

I whipped to see a Paladin in his grey coat. I narrowed my eyes, slowly reaching my hand around to my back pocket. Then he shot out one of those damn tazzer sticks. I jumped a couple of yards away, in a clearing. I flipped the knife open, almost smiling when his face became hesitant for a second.

"Leah! Leah, help me! Over here!"

I whispered, "Danny…" I scanned around the woods, completely unaware of the approaching Paladin. I was looking for his familiar shape, his familiar voice... the one that kept me safe for so long.

"Leah, help! I'm over here!"

I kept whipping around, barely noticing that the Paladin was almost on top of me. I jumped another couple yards away, calling for Danny. Then both of us stopped when we heard footsteps. _Thud_. _Thud_. _Thud_. A shadow came from the woods but I couldn't make out who is was until… he jumped right in front of me

He was the same, my eyes said. But his hair was black now and his skin was sickly pale. His face… I could do nothing to stop myself when I shivered. His eyes were bright but not healthy bright- they had this insane, wild look in them also inhuman. His body seemed more muscular and his shoulders also seemed huge in width. My mind and heart told me he was very different from when I had last seen him.

"What-what have they done to you?" I whimpered pathetically.

Danny stood in front of me, panting like a hungry wolf. His eyes seemed to stare directly at me, so still. No, that was not Danny at all. This was… something evil.

"Leah… Leah, do you really think I was on your side?"

My body shook in fear as he slowly approached. My eyes were only on him.

"To fight against someone who would always win? Ha-ha, Leah you never cease to surprise me," his opened his open, licking his teeth with a snake-like tongue. "Who are you?" He stopped, grabbing something out of his jacket. His face turned into a just plain evil and insane looking grin. "My sister Leah, you must understand that I am only your brother in your memories- I may have been your brother back then but I am not anymore." He chuckled, amused.

"They made me stronger," Yeah, I had thought, by steroid use, "and let me realize who I truly was! Don't you want that? To understand who you truly are…" My heart almost burst with emotion, angry, fear, and depression of all sorts. But I stared at him, I forced myself to stare directly into his eyes. "But I know who I am or how I act; I may be a coward but I am no traitor!" I spat the last one at his face. He growled something intangible.

"I know what you are going to be…" My eyes followed the stick that he had rose in the air, frozen to that spot.

"Dead!"

I had felt the shock before in a practice that Danny had once done with me, soon after Paladins killed our- my- parents. But that was barely anything compared to the real thing. His stick shot out like a net trap and wrapped me around a tree that was ten feet behind me. I whimpered and cried out in pain as the electric bolts pulsed through my system, my body flinching in the only way it knew anymore: jumping. But I remembered: I couldn't escape these lines. I was dead as soon as they got their shocking claws around me and- "AHHH!" In seconds, another person appeared out of nowhere (obviously from jumping) and tackled Danny.

The man stood up and it was barely a man. "TYSON!" I yelled the name so loudly birds flew from branches above me. Danny literally growled at him and said roughly, "You!" Tyson motioned to get up, challenging him. Danny growled again and flung himself at him.

I flailed around like a fish out of water, only causing more agony but I had to help Tyson. I panicked when another Paladin came out of the woods and the first one was racing towards me. I saw a blade and I almost died on the spot. I started to lose energy fast, but that was not the only thing that I had lost. My will. As I watched both the male Paladin approach me and saw Tyson getting his ass kick, my will just left, left me to die. What will happen to me if I live? Danny is just about gone insane from whatever those Paladin bastards and he's just about to kill Tyson, so Tyson would be out of the picture. What about Griffin? I silently chuckled at the weak thought as the Paladin came closer and my vision started to blur. Griffin wouldn't give a damn about us except that he knew we wouldn't be bothering him anymore.

My eyes closed, just seeing the beginning of Danny really starting to maul Tyson. Let death be- "Damnit!" I burst my eyes open to see the Paladin lying on the ground with a pool of maroon blood showing underneath him. Griffin stood in front of me, panting. Then I blinked in shock as he raked at the shock lines. "What the-" I murmured, he told to, "Shut the hell up!" I fell like a rock when Griffin went to help Tyson for moment before jumping back to me.

"Don't worry, I don't want to be here!" He muttered to me; I guessed Tyson did end up stopping by his place.

"Get the f*** up! Come on, hurry up!" I wanted to snap back at him but the world wouldn't stop spinning… Then everything slowed down- Tyson's already black and blue face was smashed again. Danny's face was splattered in blood, I only hoped it was actually his though it was unlikely. Griffin shoved the now dead (other) Paladin to the ground, swearing at her. Then I heard that deadly crunch. Tyson sputtered bloody saliva over Danny's hand as he bended over it. Then everything disappeared.

I rolled over, groaning. I had landed in… sand? The world started to clear as I struggled upwards. I faced the desert, feeling a slight wind stir up sand. I saw the sight behind me. His place-under-a-rock spot. Griffin's place under a rock! My mouth stood ajar as I took it all in until I was disturb but a sudden appearance by himself, the almighty asshole.

"What have you done?!?!" I shouted at him, waving my hands in the air. He had a nasty bruise on his right cheek and some nasty scratches on there too, just to add to the mess. But I could tell he has seen worse days. He was panting as he said, "Just saved your f***ing life so shut it!" I stomped my foot and shouted back at him, "Where's Tyson?" He paused for a moment before he walked towards me.

"Before you break out the tears, listen to me-" I didn't bother to listen and wait.

His body laid in the clearing, slumped on his side like road kill. I looked up and saw crows cawing and circling that very clearing. "Tyson," I whispered in a quiet, quiet voice. I dragged myself to his side, partly wishing he'd just scare me as a joke and partly for him to roll over, yawning as if he was sleeping. I already knew before I rolled he over to face me, what was the true answer.

His beautiful eyes- totally lifeless. I closed his eyelids, shivering with hurt as I did so. I then gently stroked his face, only to flinch back in fright, away from his cold skin. Dead… I stroked his arm a couple of times, getting use to the ice-cold touch. I rubbed his hand but he did not stir. His bangs were in the way of his face so I had swept them away with a flick of my hand. I didn't bother to turn around when I heard Griffin jump here and then leave right away, for whatever reason. As I stood up, I noticed my hand was red. Red like Death's liquid, his nourishment: blood. The tears started to flow so quickly and so quietly, I barely took notice of them. I wiped my hand in the grass and jumped away, murmuring a prayer I had remembered my parents made me do when my friend's grandma had died. I think it said something among resting peacefully in heaven or whatever…

I arrived back at Tyson's house, not at all surprised by my random choice of places to go. Hmmm… what to do? I strode around his house, glancing around. I started to see him laying on the couch, flipping through the channels. I rubbed my eyes and everything was gone. Then I heard the slight chopping sound of him cutting food in the kitchen. I whipped around to see nothing. I banged my hand against my forehead with such force I stumbleb around till I regained balance.

I decided to go to his bedroom and I walked to his room, breathing in his smell. I wiped away the tears when I saw his Axe Cologne on his bedside. I grabbed it and sprayed it in the air. I inhaled deeply and murmured his name. "Tyson…" Gone with the wind. By my ex-brother… DANNY! Fury blinded my sight as I raced around the apartment; beating, banging, pounding and ripping everything apart. Then I would cry out in pain because I ended up cutting myself against my right hand with a kitchen knife. But before I could rush out a First Aid Kit and help it, my lip curled angrily as I realized I was still blood related to him. So I flung is across the room and it landed right in the wall. I left it be, letting the knife allow drops of blood roll down from it, leaving the wall dyed red.


	8. Chapter 8

***Author's Note* I DO NOT own anything! _Jumper_ (c) 20th Century Fox! I DO own Leah & Danny (Jennings) and Tyson (Johnson), so- Leah & Danny (Jennings) and Tyson (Johnson) (c) to Penmaster51, aka ME!**

* * *

I had wrapped my hand around in gauze and then cut off the finger parts of a skin-tight leather glove. I pulled it over my wounded hand, slightly hissing at the painful pressure. Then I tossed whatever I had in my pocket onto Tyson's bed: the pocketknife, pocket lint, some change, and even more pocket lint. I swore under my breath as I heard knocking on the door. I ignored it as I rummaged through Tyson's drawers, trying to find the money. I grabbed his money jar from the last bottom drawer as the door's lock started to open.

"Damnit," I strapped a rubber band around the bundle, leaving some left to pay off the rest of this month's pay.

"Hey, Tyson! Get up buddy- time to pay up!" I jumped to the kitchen and quickly wrote a note, explaining the money. I disappeared just as the owner walked in. He saw the money and destroyed apartment.

_This should be enough to cover the expenses._

My mind was blank as I strolled through Japan. Tyson was gone… but I remember when my mother told me something after my first pet, a goldfish, died. "It's okay sweetie. You'll always remember him and he'll always live in your heart." Without my control, my hand went to my heart. I sadly sighed and found a dry bus bench, beneath one of those glass covers above it. It had been pouring when I came here and I was soaked but I didn't bother to jump away where dry. I shook my hair, scattering drops onto the glass, seeing it drip down.

"What are you doing here?"

I jumped, seeing Griffin leaning on the glass, only but a couple of feet away from me. "Sitting," I said coldly, scooting away from him. He didn't move. He looked like he was barely breathing. Then he disappeared; I started to bite my lip. My guy told me to follow him; he was my only connection to Tyson and my… and Danny. He could help me avenge my friend's death. My cold bangs clung to my face, allowing my tears to look like raindrops. I wiped my nose, trying to control my feelings. Be a blank or angry sheet, I thought to myself. Like Tyson tried to be and what Griffin is- I almost laughed at the thought. So typical me.

The jumpscar started to fade. My leg started to bounce up and down as my mind & my gut started having all out war between each other.

If I followed him he could help me destroy Danny- avenge for Tyson's death that never deserved to die for me. But I would have to earn his trust because he didn't seem sorry for me at all.

Yes, but then what? If I ever do kill Danny, even if its not me who kills him, what next? I could never go back to living a normal life; I had seen too much and know a lot about things many others shouldn't even know about. And that's all IF Griffin agrees to help me. Plus, that's if he doesn't chase me away before I could speak to him. And plus, what if he doesn't agree to anything?

My heart stopped for a moment. I knew at that moment, I could not live without someone. Even if it were only Danny, I would be living off the streets and hunting & fighting him. I would never kill him, merely because I would not have the gut to remove my sole purpose in this damn world. I touched the jumpscar right before it was no more.

The room I landed in was unusually familiar… his place under a rock. I struggled a smile when he came walking in. He stopped in the doorway and I couldn't imagine the anger he was feeling that I was there. To make the moment more pleasing to me, he was halfway through a mouthful of whatever he was eating.

He spoke through his mouth and I just tilted my head and smiled.

He swallowed his mouthful and pointed towards the exit. He dropped the food on the spot and started shoving me away, muttering stuff. I put my heels out but he only shoved me harder to the point I almost fell. I jumped a few feet away from him, just on the outside of his place.

"You know, you really shouldn't talk with your mouthful."

He picked up his food and stood glaring at me from inside his hole.

"I don't care but you are not allowed in here." He put his food down and gestured to his hole, his 'palace'.

"Well, someone doesn't like company. And too think-" His eyes turned into slits as he spoke.

"I don't like people. Period." He frowned from a second when I started to walk around my spot he put me in. "Do you have a life?" A burst of anger had come upon when I answered, "I did! Tell those f***ing Paladins took away!" I stood there fuming with fury and… he just laughed.

"That's nice to know." I huffed, beating the tears down mentally. He wasn't going to bring me down like he had done before.

"You're a jackass."

"And you're f***ing annoying. Anything else?" I wanted to pound his face in. A moment of silence passed us and soon, he was walking away, telling me to go away.

"I wanna help you," I said blankly, crossing my arms across my chest.

He appeared suddenly, only a yard away.

"You're pretty damn stupid for thinking **I** need help!" I shrugged as I walked by him. He was the angry one now, his little pride hurt.

"I'm not an idiot who kills people as his job and then kills more virtually on a video game."

I jumped into his 'family room' and checked out his game console, trying to figure out what brand it was.

"Don't you dare touch it," he growled behind me.

I shrugged and turned to see him closer than a yard away from me. He glared at me, still furious at me. "Wasn't going to," I muttered. "Do you have to bother me? Can't you bother someone else?" This was when I truly got furious at him.

"He would still have been alive if you-" Griffin stood in my face, pointing a finger an inch away from my face. "Do NOT blame ME for your boyfriend's death! That is what he planned…" He jumped onto the couch, picking up a game controller. "That is what he planned, huh? Planned on getting his ass kicked, being killed but me, still alive?" Griffin slightly nodded as the TV started up and the main menu of the game.

"Whatever," I rolled my eyes as I flopped myself on the small chair that was to the left of the TV. He played for a moment, his eyes following his very movement, as a character until he spoke up, "Didn't you and your boyfriend promise me that you would leave me alone if I found you brother?"

I didn't want to admit he was right so I didn't respond.

"Well, I found your damn brother! Crazy, son of a bitch he was! So I fulfilled MY part of a bargain so you've got-"

I tilted my head as I interrupted his speech.

"First, it was a promise (true) BUT you owed Tyson, a.k.a. me, a favor and that was the part finding DANNY (not my brother anymore). You did." He sneered and said, "So? Who ever said I had to keep my debts, not that I had any." I rolled my eyes and brought up the story Tyson told me about rescuing him from the power lines.

"If is wasn't for Tyson, you would have been already dead by now. From being left out in the baking sun until you died of starvation or dehydration." He rolled his eyes as he continued the game.

"You're really f***ing annoying me. Go away." I huffed stubbornly but I did so.

Good going, Leah. Mess up the very last connection to anything. I lay on a bench, in the sun, in some park far away from Griffin and was somewhere in the United States. I was alone… great! I wanted to scream with anger, agony, and frustration and just for the hec of it. But I stopped myself from shouting and started to nod off when I heard something. I rose up, glancing around. A flicker of grey material. Another there behind the tree.

"Face me like men, Paladins!"

Oops, they had taken me seriously. Three walked out, grinning happily with their tazzer sticks. I wanted to kick them all in the groin and run for it but I didn't. I had to hold my ground. Instead of doing that, I jumped.

I had a flashback of when I had first arrived at Tyson's apartment. I remember he told me about this one other Jumper he heard of, David something, had gone to the great Coliseum in Italy. Tyson never liked traveling and it didn't bother me in the least bit. I landed among columns of broken down stone.

I froze, hearing someone arrive behind me.

"They can just track you," I pushed myself against the wall of one of the columns. Griffin was across from me, standing on top of another. "I didn't ask anything from you," I spat at him and strode away. He jumped a yard ahead of me. "Leave. Me. Alone." I spoke sternly and I heard him chuckle as I walked the other direction.

"You didn't leave me be when I asked."

"No, you-"

I stood completely still. The air started to get stuffy and harder to breathe. I slowly faced my jumpscar from a moment ago. Something was ripping it open! I leaped back, standing beside Griffin. "What is that?!"

His voice was full of distaste and hatred.

"Paladins."


	9. Chapter 9

***Author's Note* I DO NOT own anything! _Jumper_ (c) 20th Century Fox! I DO own Leah & Danny (Jennings) and Tyson (Johnson), so- Leah & Danny (Jennings) and Tyson (Johnson) (c) to Penmaster51, aka ME!**

* * *

They seem to jump when they arrived but we both saw through the disguise. They forced themselves through the hole, whatever you wanted to call it. They could never get use to the feeling, leaping and arriving half way across the world. I saw Griffin was gone and back with a bat, his eyes full of pure hatred.

The Paladins walked towards, taking their own weapons out. I suppressed a shiver when I thought of those sticks touching me again. I wouldn't handle it as well as I did last time, a second time. Not that I even handled it well earlier. I glanced at Griffin who almost was smiling. I guessed he hasn't seen any action in a long time. That's when I-

"Get out of the way!" Griffin jumped us out of the way of their tazzer sticks, as Danny called them. He shot me a glance and leaped into the battle, jumping down the column. I peered over, only to see him whip a Paladin's body against another column. I heard the sickening crack of his spine and I gagged. The Paladin's head rolled to the side, blood dripping down from his mouth. I jumped to stand just a back ways. Then I saw another Paladin, one that we hadn't noticed before, sneaking up on Griffin. Before my voice could call out to him, I jumped to the Paladin and tackled him down.

I scrambled up, gasping mentally at myself. I had just attacked a Paladin; me who was only confident in her words than her actions, a coward in some ways and a cocky, arrogant girl in others!

The Paladin lunged at me with his tazzer stick; I jumped away for a second and then jumped behind him. I punched him weakly, unsure what to do. He swore but smiled when he realized how unconfident I was as he stood up. He shot his stick at me and I jumped away, trying my best to immediate Griffin with his zigzag pattern jumping towards the Paladin. Just like me, he froze in the spot, trying to figure where I was going to land. Just before he could he react, I shoved my body against his forcibly. I ended up smashing him against a column since I jumped us in front of one. I tried to knee him in the gut only to get punched in the face. In the same exact area where Griffin punched me- it was still sore even if it had all but disappeared.

He started to get the upper hand until he saw he didn't have his tazzer stick with him. He glared at me when Griffin appeared and bashed his head with his bat. The bat finally couldn't take it anymore and splintered in Griffin's face. He jumped next to me; he panted and was red in the face. Not a single sliver was on his face.

He jerked his head towards me and said, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." He wiped his nose across his sleeve, leaving small traces of blood. He saw my hand and asked what happened. "I cut it," I asked curtly, nod in the mood to explain what happened after Tyson's…Tyson's death. He shook his head.

"Nothing but a batch of newbies," he muttered. I walked over to where the hole was; it was gone. But things that had surrounded it looked like a tornado had ripping through it. I noticed the body of the dead Paladin, the one killed by Griffin. He lay where Griffin left him, slumped on the ground and the other was on top of a column. Dead or not dead, I couldn't tell and actually didn't want to find out. My Paladin was knocked out against another column.

"Griffin-" I turned around and I saw he was gone. Just leave, huh? I huffed and felt my jaw; it was red and swollen but nothing broken… just sore. I decided to find a place to sleep. Very far away from Italy.

* * *

The lights whirled around him, blurring everyone dancing and jumping down in the colored lights of the dance club. Or was it just all the alcohol? He snickered at the idea of being drunk; since he with the bad guys, he had allowed to do everything he wanted and when he wanted. The music's beat pumped in his chest because it was so loud. And tonight, he wanted to party.

A gorgeous woman walked by, glancing at him as he sat on the stool. He smiled at her, the dangerous bad boy smile he had mastered instinctively. She strode over, hips swaying as she walked. He looked the way she looked: sassy and sexy.

"I haven't seen you around before."

He smiled again as he stood up and said, "I'm new." She smiled slyly and weaving between the groups of people. Men stared at him as he walked by. He was dancing with the hottest chick there. She had led him to a group of her friends all up front as she started dancing. He liked that way her body moved towards him, aggressive and seductively. As the music blared, they talked.

"Where you from?"

"Out of town."

"Hmmm… not talkative, huh?"

He whispered down her neck, feeling her shiver, "Nah. I prefer actions than words." She smiled slyly again.

"What's your name?" He asked her as the music turned up louder. His mind started to go fuzzy and his words were slurring together.

"Megan," she answered, "what's yours?"

Her body was pretty much wrapped around his as they moved together to the music, young couples watching and staring. He breathed down her shoulder, like a hunter moving onto his prey. He liked her; no, he wanted her! He could feel his body itching to jump somewhere quiet, somewhere private. But he merely answered her:

"Danny."


	10. Chapter 10

***Author's Note* I DO NOT own anything! _Jumper_ (c) 20th Century Fox! I DO own Leah & Danny (Jennings) and Tyson (Johnson), so- Leah & Danny (Jennings) and Tyson (Johnson) (c) to Penmaster51, aka ME!**

* * *

The apartment wasn't expensive and I was surprised to be able to pay for it. After I took a shower, to my utter enjoyment, I tossed myself on the bed. I climbed under the covers, shivering as my body adjusted to the cold sheets. My stomach growled and I tossed over to my other side. Luckily, the pillows were comfortable and soon I had forgotten the cold sheets and my stomach rumbling. I had fallen asleep.

*************

I was in a dance club, the lights wonderful colors blinking all around me. Things blurred all together as people danced and jumped along to the music. A pounding came in my chest; the music was so loud it, it literally pounded in my chest. I smiled; it all reminded me of the high school dances we had. No one could ever really dance, so we just shook and jumped and other crazy stuff. I stood, dazzled by everything blurring still. It was an old high school dance, I realized, when I saw Danny, his friends and myself dancing in front, the nearest group to the speakers.

For a moment, my heart wanted to race out there and join them, never to leave the past. But I knew reality would wake me up and pull me back into present. Then the settings changed.

I was in Griffin's place, his hole. I glanced around and I heard a video game going on. I strode into the place and saw the TV screen on the main menu of the game and Griffin fast asleep on the couch, his mouth slight ajar and somewhat snoring. In his hands was the game controller. I chuckled to myself as I looked to my left. My heart skipped a beat when I recognized the dead face.

There was Tyson, smiling in his sleep. I stroked his face but somehow, my heart never stirred again. My feelings for him… gone with him to his final resting place. My mind started to argue with my heart; saying it was disloyal and unfaithful to disrespect him like that. Let him leave this world with a lie; I almost believed it myself when I rethought it. He would want me to be happy, right?"

_"I would never let you go down that road."_

Isn't that what he said during our time of wanna-be emos? That he would never truly allow myself to become depression and purposely hurt myself? I smiled as I kissed his cheek. I sighed, a peaceful dream this was.

Something shot out and an arm snatched mine. I gasped when Griffin's face stared at me, his eyes wide and… _scared_.

"Help me."

Everything was black but, yet, I could feel the wind rushing past me.

I was falling. Falling, falling, falling into a never-ending pit of darkness. Until I hit the bottom and screamed when the electric shocks ripped through every nerve of my body.

I screamed as I lunged forward, griping the comforter of the bed like I was scared for my life. I looked around, it was barely one o' clock on the alarm next to my bed. I wiped my brow, feeling the sweat drip down from it. My hair was pulled into a ponytail and the loose ones had stuck to my neck, drenched in sweat. The same went with my bangs. I blew a few strings of hair back as I thought of my dream/nightmare. I shook my head, trying to rid my mind of the image of Griffin being so frightened. It seemed so unnatural for him to look so scared. But that did it mean?

For a moment I had blown it off; it was just a dream! I knew I should've had eaten before I went to bed. Even cold pizza would have been fine. It was just a dream, more than likely I was only lonely. But then the look of Griffin's eyes, the way his face was so pale… I shivered greatly and wrapped my arms around my knees tightly. Then I jumped to my clothing pile on the dresser.

Courtesy of Tyson, the night before I found the hotel, I had enough money to buy a new t-shirt. I stole from another store to get a pair of jeans, a belt and zip up hoodie. Though I felt bad about stealing, I easily put the thought aside. I put all the new stuff on and grabbed the hotel key. I jumped to my door unlocked it and grabbed a pen and a notepad.

I shifted comfortably, as the elevator seemed to go slower and slower. I stayed a decent hotel but if I had the money, or the guts to go into an abandoned apartment for the weekend, I would have found a better hotel. But I was happy to not be sleeping in the middle of the desert, not near any human being for miles.

I jumped outside the elevator as it landed on the main floor. I rushed to the front desk, no one in sight. I rolled my eyes as I quickly wrote a note, left the keys and jumped outside. I hope whoever was running the place didn't get angry with me. I started running into an alley next door to the hotel. As I made sure it was clear to jump, my thoughts drifted to this one: I seemed to be jumping from a lot of dark alleys lately. I shrugged it off and started to feel the fear bubble in my stomach when I thought of Griffin's face. I immediately jumped to his place after that.

"Griffin?" I whispered into the dark. No one answered me.

"Griffin!" I whispered loudly and more harsh. No answered me, again.

I turned on the lamp on his desk after searching for some type of light source. It glowed dimly in the night; nothing seemed different and nothing appeared to be moved, rummaged through or etc. But the problem that bothered me was that Griffin was not home. He would have been in my face seconds after I spoke his the first time. But nothing had answered.

I noticed a jumpscar; they almost glowed iridescently in the darkness. I looked around again and slow reached for it.

Sea gulls cried above me. I looked around; I must've had been in a closed ship harbor of some sort. I looked around, only to go a few yards away to find (another) broken baseball bat on the ground and splattered with blood. I only hoped it was not Griffin's gore on it. I started to jog, following the trail of little blood droplets and picturing the fight scenes. This Paladin was experienced and not only armed with their tazzer sticks. He, or she, had weapon and not nice 'quick death' one ether. I froze when I heard a shout followed by a muffled screech. Not good.

I raced down the harbor, turned sharply to the right of an old building restyled; I guessed it was the main office or something along those lines. When I went around the corner, I just saw a Paladin and Griffin fall into the water. Two things I realized at that moment was: a) if this all went badly but I still lived, I would never set foot or any other body part in a lake/river/stream/ocean/sea or swimming pool again and b) Jumpers couldn't jump if they couldn't breathe. I guessed as I leaped into the water, that Paladin figured that out before hand.

The sight below was frightening. It's like seeing your favorite super hero, or villain, being dragged to his/her lowest they can go before dieing. It pierced my heart to see Griffin drift downwards to the bottom. Still holding my breath, I jumped next to the Paladin and kicked him right in groin. He let out his breath, bubbles forming around his face. His eyes glared at me through them.

I swam towards Griffin, who was sinking very fast. I noticed something tied around his ankle. I cursed every Paladin and paladin-co worker that lived and died. The Paladin grabbed me by the collar (he seemed to have recovered my 'low blow') and yanked my throat, causing me to gasp.

Then my own bubbles formed my face. I growled deep in my throat and thudded my head against the guy's chest. He was losing air and he knew it but he wouldn't stop fighting. I glanced at Griffin, to estimate how far down he was, as the Paladin grabbed my throat. The air just shut-off, like a light switch. It felt like my body just froze up. The Paladin had a crazy, wild look in his eye as he strangled me in the water.

Dots started to appear in my vision and my struggling became weaker. Great, I was losing! I twisting and squirmed in the water, trying to do something, anything to get free! My luck turned good on me for once, the Paladin made a mistake.

As I felt myself passing out, he loosened his grip. Exactly what I wanted him to do. I yanked myself free and grabbed his throat and squeezed. His mouth opened and I could see his body convulsing and trying to get the water out. I let him go and drove my foot really hard as I could into his chest. I thought I had heard a rib snap but I didn't stay around him for long. I swam upward, gasped at the surface of the water and swam back down.

I swam quickly after Griffin. The first time I couldn't reach him so I grabbed another breath and tried again. Second time was just as bad as the first but the third time I plugged my nose. Luckily I was part of the swimming club in middle school, though I hated it. It figured; the things you hate the most would end up saving or doing something valuable in your life. I reached out and grabbed the back of his leather jacket with my other hand. And I pulled, unplugging my nose. After moments and yanking and pulling, it was no use. I had to cut that damn weight off! I swam below him and saw a concrete block. I started to yank at the rope but no use. Feeling a bit disgusted, I stuffed my hand into his pocket and pulled out a blade. I slit the ropes and dragged him up. Then I felt my throat tightening.


	11. Chapter 11

***Author's Note* I DO NOT own anything! _Jumper_ (c) 20th Century Fox! I DO own Leah & Danny (Jennings) and Tyson (Johnson), so- Leah & Danny (Jennings) and Tyson (Johnson) (c) to Penmaster51, aka ME!  
****Also, on the first couple of paragraphs I mention CPR- these are NOT directions so do use as such I had help to write those parts (internet)! Again, these are NOT directions and don't use them as if they are. Besides that, enjoy reading! -Penmaster**

* * *

Suddenly… I couldn't breathe. The air just wouldn't- couldn't find a way to my lungs. I struggled as I dragged the still drowning Griffin. Using my last once of energy, I jumped. I only landed partly out of the water and had to roll Griffin up the boat landing. I crawled up to his body, slid my hands under his armpits and dragged him up some more. Then I pressed my ear to his chest, though I was exhausted be one I have ever been.

Nothing, not a single gasp.

Panic stroke me like a thorn. The pain was sharp and to the point. For all I knew Griffin was dead, for we had been there under a minute. Once again, my mother's thinking saved me. I had taken a CPR class during high school at the community center with people from the local hospital. I think I knew what to do.

I tilted back his head, pinched his nose and pressed my lips to his. For a moment my heart fluttered and I breathed a second time right away. I paused, letting go of his nose and watched his face and chest for signs of breathing. Nothing! Tears started to roll down my face but I forced myself to stop crying; just keep doing what the teacher taught you.

I did the chest compressions as I was taught. "Twenty-eight, twenty-nine, thirty!" I pinched his nose and gave two rescue breaths. His chest started to rise and fall only but a little. Knowing and remembering nothing more, I jumped us to his lair.

I had set him on the couch, lying there. His chest was slowly rising up and down; he had already coughed and spat out water without waking consciousness. I started to shiver and saw his skin was pale. I scavenged around the place until found a clean and suitable blanket for him. I merely grabbed a jacket of the chair I sat in and covered my chest and arms with it.

I knew better to than fall asleep but my eyes were fluttering to stay open and in my head, my mother was humming a lullaby from my very young childhood. I drifted off to sleep…

**********

Griffin woke up with a start, only to have cough and spit out more water. Water? It took a moment for him to remember everything that happened; he had found the Paladin he was tracking for a little bit and was fighting him on ground until he…

He rubbed his head and swore when he felt the bump. He was fighting the Paladin until he was hit in the head by that damn concrete block the guy had picked up. He barely remembered being pushed in the water and everything was blank after that. He was stupid; underestimated his enemy and it almost cost him his life.

He cracked his neck and realized where he was: his lair. Then he heard the light breathing of someone sleeping. He leaped up and jumped a few yards away, ready to fight. But the person sleeping wasn't a Paladin- Leah?! What in hell was she doing around here? Her hair was wet and she was shivering, despite the fact they were in an f***ing desert! He felt his arms suddenly and they were sore. He rolled them around to get them awoken. The only logical way he had gotten out of the water was… was for her to rescue him? Griffin snorted at the thought. Yeah, sure! But the evidence glowed in front of his face and he scowled. She was such an idiot for wasting her breath for me. Endangering her life, taking on a Paladin with no experience besides one fight with a Paladin the other day and he had to rescue her sorry little ass.

He scowled again, angry with himself now for almost getting another innocent person hurt. He'll yell at her later in the morning so he didn't have to wait any long to sleep! He yawned. He grabbed the blanket and hesitated before he tossed it on top of her. At least he could keep her from getting sick. He threw himself on a bed that was hidden in a back room. He didn't bother to change clothing before he barely had the blanket cover himself before peaceful darkness engulfed him.

I yawned as I stretched up. A quiet night- quiet! I burst open my eyes and glanced at the couch. Empty! I glanced around, trying to figure where he went. I clambered over onto the couch, feeling it was cold.

"Griffin!" Nothing. Sighing realizing, I failed at my mission. He probably went after the Paladin and was killed. Accepting of fate, I crawled onto the couch, about to fall asleep.

"What?! Can't you see I was trying to sleep?"

I let out a shrill and short shriek and shoved myself backwards, to fall over the armrest.

"Griffin-" I peeked over and saw it was Griffin! I flipped my hair back, wishing I had a comb, and straightened my shirt and folded my arms across my chest. His right arm leaned on a short and sturdy column the other one perched on his arm. His eyes looked me up and down. Feeling nervous and intimidated by his look, I spoke up.

"I would check over yourself if I were you before you did anything."

His eyes darted straight to mine and he stood there silently leaning on the column. I shrugged and started to walk out, welcoming to the sun. That was a first for a long time. "Leah," his voice spoke curiously as he stood staring at me. I looked over my shoulder, my body still exhausted and I wanted to yawn. "Hm?"

He was about to say something stopped and then too a more Griffin approach to things.

"What in hell were you thinking about running after me?"

I laughed and it caught him off guard for a moment before he said, "What are you laughing about?"

"Nothing, Griffin."

I then continued on walking out, gladly meeting the rising sun.

"Leah," he jumped next to me, "what in f*** were you thinking?" I tilted my head and gave it a real hard minute to think about it. "Nothing really except a dream and it caused me to become paranoid. Not forgetting where you lived, I jumped here to find you missing. I merely followed a jumpscar then a trail of blood." I glanced at him, seeing only bruises.

He cast his eyes down and kicked up sand.

"You were getting your ass kicked back there- no, you did get your ass kicked back there and would've drowned or been killed if it weren't for me. Now, if you're trying to put a 'thanks' somewhere around here; I accept it."

"Thanks," he muttered.

"Griffin," I made him look me in the eye before I answered him, it made him uncomfortable when I did though, "your welcome." I didn't tell him that I had to CPR on him and… in a sense, kiss him.

"Oh, shit," I whispered under my breath.

"What?"

I started laughing and spoke to him, "I have no place to go! Haha, I had paid for my room right before I left with the key." He nodded his head and said, "You can stay here." I awed him and he glared at me.

"That's so sweet of you, Griffin! Now where is it?"

He made an odd face, like I was kind of crazy.

I rolled my eyes and jumped back to the couch. He followed me after.

"Where is what?"

I picked up the game console and started fiddling with it. "Oh, nothing! You're not just acting like Griffin and what I meant by 'it' is drugs. Cause drugs make you do all kinds of things-"

"I'm not on drugs!"

I laughed, "You seemed to be high when I first met you." He grabbed the game controller and placed it back down in its original spot. He completely ignored my comment and I guess he was just as tired as I was.

"Neat freak," I muttered good humorely.

"What?" His head shot up and I said, "Nothing." He rolled his eyes and I knew I was going to make it a living hell for him today because I was so happy that he was alive.


	12. Chapter 12

***Author's Note* I DO NOT own anything! _Jumper_ (c) 20th Century Fox! I DO own Leah & Danny (Jennings) and Tyson (Johnson), so- Leah & Danny (Jennings) and Tyson (Johnson) (c) to Penmaster51, aka ME!  
**

* * *

"You hit the damn _x _button- now! Now, damnit Griffin!"

I slammed my fist against the chair's armrest as the game sprawled across its screen: 'You Lost! Try Again?' Griffin tossed the control angrily at me. "If you think its so easy, you try it!" He growled at me, glaring in my general direction. Operation Annoy the Hell out of Griffin was and had been working quite well. It ended up being we were both ending up hours on end watching him play video games. Well, until that particular level of the game. I never got it but somehow I was able to spot the small things that I needed to win (if I ever played) from watching Griffin, half a dozen times, try to beat this level.

"I could win on the first try," I retorted back to him. He stretched himself across the couch and he gestured to the TV. "Go and try, princess," he smirked as I pressed 'Try Again', and the game lunched into the same level as before. Little did he know I was a video game-attic. It was a hobby when I was still with my parents.

I played just about every video game I could get on, including the arcade at the heart of my small town. I was raining champion until Tyson challenged me one day, the summer before freshman year. He was the only person to ever beat me more than once, but he normally just beat me when he was able to practice. That was the first day we met and I think, the first day he started really liking. I noticed that mentioning Tyson and him didn't leave a big ache in my heart just made it feel sore.

I had thought about that as I pressed the buttons in the right sequence, almost pressing a beat because of it. I was leaning towards the TV, my arms resting on my knees as I sat in my chair. I shifted, bringing my arms into my lap. Griffin was no longer lying down but sitting with his feet placed firmly on the ground. I started to add the button _x _as I did the combinations and sequences correctly. All of a sudden, the foe was lying on the ground, the screen said that I had won and was asking if I would continue onto the next level. I placed the controller on the table in front of us and smiled.

"Told you so," I smirked at him.

"Never knew you out of all the damn people I could have met, would beat meat video games." He tore the controller off the table and continued onto the next level. I rolled my eyes as his eyes stared the TV as if he was in a haze. "Nerd," I said loudly, then looked the other way. It took Griffin a moment to respond, "What?" I laughed and said, "Nothing!" He cocked an eyebrow as the video game continued on without him. I smiled, pointed the screen and said, "Griffin?"

"Shit!" I sat laughing my ass off as he tried to regain his pride in the next level.

Another empty box smacked against the wall as Griffin searched through his 'lair' for another game to play. For a moment then, it reminded me of my drug comment sometime before, I thought: yesterday? Anyway, it reminded me of a junkie searching for his long lost drugs. I snickered at the thought; Griffin shot me a look. It was already past five in the afternoon and I frowned as he stopped searching. He jumped to his computer; I followed after him and peered over his shoulder.

"Paladins," he spoke, "were spotted at a bar. Near New York." At that moment he reached for his jacket that sat on top of his chair. I grabbed it and jumped to behind the couch. I told holding it on my finger, posed to jump again if I have too. "I'm coming," I told him. He smirked and jumped to grab his jacket but I had already jumped. "I'm coming, Griffin."

"No, you're not! You could f***ing beat a Paladin when you said you were going with me!" He jumped, shouting something and almost got his jacket when I jumped away, climbing the side of the hard sand and rock. He appeared outside, in just his t-shirt, shouting my name. I slowly pulled myself backwards up the hill when I felt a boot against my back. Behind, he cleared and yanked his jacket away from me. Then, shoved me off the hill. Just before I fell, I reached out to his shoe as he, lucky me shifted (so he was technically moving) and jumped us both to the ground.

Unsuspected I would do so, Griffin landed on the sand with a grunt. I landed with a thud, a couple yards away. "That f***ing hurt!" He cursed at me as we both stood up, shaking the sand off.

"Griffin, I'm coming and I could care less if you wanted me to or not. I'm coming and you'll have to bear it!" I snapped at him, obvious that I had made my decision. He merely scowled unhappily and got up, muttering to himself. I followed after him, back into his lair when he jumped. I paused, sighed at his slight immaturity and followed through his jumpscar. I landed in New York, just about dark.

I picked him out among when he turned a corner so I jumped next to him hoping to scare him. He didn't stir at all. "We'll end up meeting them after dark, so… if you can't keep out, jump around a couple of times till you feel no ones following you. More than likely no one is." He's face was set in stone as he walked. I decided to be cheerfully (& sarcastic) so I said, "You must scare a lot of children with your face like that." His shoulders slouched and groaned, "I liked you better when you were asleep last night." I stopped, shivering at remembering how cold I was then.

But my memory stirred and then I remember one detail I didn't notice before: the blanket. I had found a blanket for Griffin and covered him with it before falling asleep myself. I never noticed this morning when I woke up with the blanket covering me. "Wait, you're the one who put the blanket on me?" He rolled his eyes and muttered, "Took you long enough." But I knew that he was hiding a blush and I swore mentally, it was too dark to tell if he actually was. There was a silence that stayed with us until we arrived at the bar. I gulped; I didn't like drinking at all. I was allowed to try it once at a supervised dinner party my parents were having but I hated the taste of it. Never took a sip since that day.

"I'm… uh, going to find a booth in the back," I told Griffin before weaving through the crowd to it. I put my head on the table and tried to push out all the chatter and racket. Griffin sat down in front of me. I looked up and saw he was already holding a beer. "You must love bars," he sneered as he took another swig. I pushed myself up and said, "I've never been a drinker; Danny said," I paused, seeing his reaction; his muscles tensed and his face was pulled into almost an angry but blank face, "he said that it messes with your jumping. Kind of like driving." Griffin shrugged but I saw him put down the bottle.

For some reason, I was getting more jittery and nervous as more people came it. Something didn't seem right that all these people poured into the same bar. All the small tables were taken up and you could barely move because people who couldn't find a seat just sat around their table. It was filled with cigarette smoke and alcohol's stink. Griffin noticed this and asked what's wrong. I chuckled nervously, rubbing my hand against my leather glove. Griffin cocked an eyebrow and his hand shot out to my covered one. He yanked it off, some the bandaging. He peered at me but I didn't meet his glaze. He wrapped it unhappily, like he was expecting something unpleasant. The bandage was only partly clean when I had bandaged it again when I had found my apartment and a First Aid Kit to use. It had stopped bleeding by then and had scabbed over but now it was just a thin scar, running against my hand.

"What's this?" Griffin shoved my hand in my face, taking another angry swig at his beer. "I had a meltdown at Tyson's place and I… I accidentally cut my hand when handling a knife." I tried to give off the look that I didn't care what he thought and pushed a strand of hair out of my face. I picked up the bandage and rewrapped my hand and slid the leather glove over it.

"Sure." He scowled as he thought about without looking at me. I looked away and watched the people.

"So you didn't cut yourself purposely?"

Though I expected his question, it still kind of stung to me. He was questioning the truth. Didn't he trust me? I mentally shook my head; of course he trusted me its just that it seemed more likely than an 'accident'.

"No! No, I didn't." Then I proceeded to tell him what kind of meltdown I had. I left out the parts of me breathing in Tyson's axe cologne. He sat silently for a while even after I ordered some water. The waitress challenged my age by looking me straight in my eyes. I glared at her and she jumped, glanced at Griffin with a questioning look (and maybe a flirtatious one but I assured myself she wouldn't with me around) then walked off. I heard Griffin stifle a chuckle when I stuck my tongue at her back.

"You must have really liked him." I looked up but once again Griffin didn't meet my glaze.

"I did; at first I thought he was my only other friend in the world besides my brother during high school. Parents died and I never saw any old high school buddies since then until Tyson. I think he liked me long before those past events." But I could tell my voice was weak when I spoke about Tyson. He would always have special place in my heart.

"Huh." Was all Griffin could muster after my speech. He finished off his beer and had set it down when they walked in. Two Paladins, both male. "Time to move," Griffin stood up and I followed after him as we weaved through the bar. I glanced back at our table where one of the Paladins turned our direction and glared at me. "They know who we are," Griffin nodded as he turned sharply to the left. "They always know where you are. Not unless you keep hidden." He walked behind a garbage can, grabbed a baseball bat. (Another one? He must've have stashed them every where!) He strode next to me. With Griffin by my side, I felt confident until they arrived with their suitcases. Oh shit!


	13. Chapter 13

***Author's Note* I DO NOT own anything! _Jumper_ (c) 20th Century Fox! I DO own Leah & Danny (Jennings) and Tyson (Johnson), so- Leah & Danny (Jennings) and Tyson (Johnson) (c) to Penmaster51, aka ME!  
**

* * *

After my curse, we faced each other. We were waiting for whomever to throw the first punch.

I remembered Tyson, his parents, my parents, Griffin's parents and all the other people they probably could have killed or affected their badly. I was the first one to throw a punch. I jumped, mimicking Griffin in the zigzag formation and landed a punch, along with the force and energy I gained through jumping, right in the Paladin's gut. I jumped behind him, only realizing my mistake as I experienced it. He brought out a regular tazzer and tazzered my side. I growled, flinching from it. The guy Paladin pulled away opened his suitcase and grabbed his stick from inside of it. I was gone before he could tazzer my ass again.

I whispered, "Over here!" He whipped around and I smashed my hand against his face. I felt his nose crumble underneath. Blood splattered his nostrils and lips. I, also, jumped away from him with a souvenir was on top of the building we stood the left on. I yanked off my jacket, adrenaline pumping.

I jumped back down amidst a blood bath. Griffin, yielding his endless bats, was whacking the crap out of them. But these were tough and I saw another appear from a small, dense area behind one of the buildings. "Griffin!" He whipped around and jumped just in time to dodge the lines that could have electrified the living daylights out of him.

All of a sudden an arm wrapped around my throat and lifted me off the ground. I struggled to breathe and he tightened his grip. I wiggled, bit and moved about to find a way to release him but I was without success. "Oh, Griffin?" Griffin snarled something intangible but continued fighting. Good, I thought. I could handle myself. I started aiming my kicks now, trying to drive a strong enough force to make him drop me. I aimed multiple times, struggling for each breath as I did so. I finally succeeded and I jumped behind him, punching him in the back.

Holding back the curse words when I shook the pain away, I picked up his dropped stick and shoved it on him. He glowed for a moment and I realized I wasn't supposed to hold it that close. The smell of burning flesh flew up my nose and I threw up a bit in my mouth. I jumped away, spitting it out. As Griffin handled the Paladin who came from behind the building, I was facing off one of my own. I stood on the edge of the sidewalk. I was waiting for him to draw his weapon at me.

"Aw, weak stomach huh?"

I scowled and glanced around as he started to herd me back in. I saw it: a crowbar! I didn't bother to think about if this was pure by accident. I picked it up and started to whack the crap out of him. I didn't bother to aim as I just swung it and it always hit its target. I heard the sickening cracks of ribs breaking underneath my weapon. The Paladin gasped and started to sputter blood out his mouth. His face started to turn purple and he fell to the ground, his hands scratching at his throat. He was choking. No, he was drowning in his own blood!

I forced done my lunch and saw out of the corner of my eye the bloody-nose guy rise. His mouth stood ajar as he stared at my bloody crowbar and how the blood, that was not even mine, rolled down my hands and arms. My right hand with my leather glove was turning this dark, dark black/red color.

I couldn't move when I stared at the sight, just as shocked as the other Paladin. I fell to my knees, starting to shiver with shock. A giant puddle formed underneath him and I watched in horror as it almost touched my jeans. The blood didn't but I couldn't help but- a heavy thud came behind me but I only flinched. I could hear Griffin muttering angrily to himself. I slowly looked over my shoulder. The one who came from behind from the building was black and blue all over. The bloody nose Paladin was just knocked out and Griffin dragged him over to the black-and-blue Paladin. I slowly, and jerkily, turned back to the dead Paladin.

He died choking in his own blood…

I started to shake uncontrollably and I dropped the crowbar without even noticing it slipping out of my hand. Griffin appeared next to me and asked, "Leah?" "He died choking on his own blood, Griffin… because of ME." Ugly thoughts flooded my mind: this man could have had a bright future! He could have had a young, beautiful wife and children, a happy family. A strong, firm grip attached itself to my right shoulder.

"Are you okay?"

I shook my head and shoved his hand off, feeling the panic arise in my stomach. Griffin, still holding the broken bat, strode towards me. "Stay away!" I shouted at him and he stopped when I covered my ears and jumped. I landed in the forest, screaming on top of my lungs. I dropped my hands from ears and started running through it. I could hear Griffin following after me. I imagined another spot and soon I was in another part of the forest. I jumped multiple times before I too exhausted to even walk. I crawled into a bush.

I wrapped my arms around my knees and felt the tears roll down my face steadily. Then I shifted and saw my arms. They were caked with his blood; some just left stains and others were actually dried blood to my arm. My vision completely blurred as I sobbed into my knees. His footsteps caused me to cover my mouth but still allow the tears flow down.

"Leah? LEAH! Get you god damn butt out here!" I heard him sigh and heard him mutter to himself, "Where could she f***ing go in this god damn forest?" Then I heard him take off at a jogging place before a jump. I peeked out of the bush and raced in the other direction. I stumbled upon a small pond.

I sat at the side on my knees. I wrenched my glove off and ripped off my bandage then started scrubbing viciously at my skin. I splashed the water at my arms, scrubbing just as hard there. My shirt was splattered with blood on my chest. I started to sob, not noticing that my scar had actually started bleeding again. Soon, exhausted, I fell to my left side and pulled my knees close to my chest. I closed my eyes, to fall asleep, only to open them to a nightmare.

********

Griffin found Leah shivering on a pond's bank. Her arms were only barely pink where actual blood was and her arms were covered in fingernail marks. He sighed unhappily and picked up her left arm. It was very cold and still partly wet. She merely whimpered, probably from a nightmare and imagined him as a monster. He chuckled; he was kind of already a monster.

He peered over at her other arm, the right one. Her leather glove was where she had left it, only a foot away. Her scar was puffy and red; he noticed it had cracked open a little bit. He shook his head and wanted to get angry with her. How she scared the shit out of him when she was shivering uncontrollably in the alley, over the dead body of the Paladin. Though he agreed with himself choking and drowning in your own blood was kind of vicious but he had seen enough gore and violence for it not to faze him. Leah was the one who reacted as any normal person would.

He picked her up with a grunt (she was damn heavy but then again she was almost his height), grabbed her glove and jumped them back to his lair. He kind of gently placed her on the couch and glanced around, looking for the blanket from the previous. She whispered something and he froze.

"Griffin."

His head snapped to look at directly at her. Griffin realized she was sleeping still. He rolled his eyes and dropped the blanket on her. As he clambered off to bed, he couldn't sleep at all because of the memory of Leah shaking wildly and in fear was still too fresh in his mind.

The water was all around me and was condemning me to my fate: drowning. I struggled and tried to cry out Griffin's name, but all it did was fill my throat with my water.

Then the water disappeared but-but I was still drowning! My hands flew up to my throat and clawed at it. I could taste the salty taste of blood in my mouth, throat and lungs.

"Help! Griffin!"

Only my mind could scream out but soon that died out too. Things went black. I opened my eyes and was looking upon my own dead body. I screamed and was plunged back into water, the nightmare replaying in my mind, over and over and over…

I leaped forward, my scream dieing out as I did so. I looked around wildly and my hand flew up to my throat. Not a drop of liquid was in it. I let out a breath and rubbed my eyes. Only if I had a watch. Griffin appeared suddenly.

"Everything okay?" But the way his eyes darted to every corner of the lair, he was suspecting bad.

"Yeah. Just a nightmare." He threw himself on top of the chair and groaned. He was tired, I could tell. "Just a nightmare, huh? Sounded like you were getting ripped apart," he mumbled as he jumped and then appeared actually sitting on it. "Yeah… just a nightmare." Silence came between us. As I glanced around, I could tell Griffin was watching me. Not just me, my face.

"Griffin?" He blinked and met my look at him quietly. I had to look away to regain my pride; my heart gave a sudden leap at saying his name and seeing his face and meeting his handsome blue eyes didn't help. I mentally thought to myself, I like him. I liked him more than Tyson, I thought. I also mentally put myself back in place. I was merely an acquaintance, maybe even a friend. I had no right to like the 'lone wolf'. But I thanked him all the same.

"Thank you."


	14. Chapter 14

***Author's Note* I DO NOT own anything! _Jumper_ (c) 20th Century Fox! I DO own Leah & Danny (Jennings) and Tyson (Johnson), so- Leah & Danny (Jennings) and Tyson (Johnson) (c) to Penmaster51, aka ME!**

* * *

I decided to spend the day alone. I had also, before I left, asked Griffin for a small spare shirt. I was naturally thin and Griffin had muscle so it was kind of baggy. So I merely just tied some of it back with a rubber band. Griffin was. Also, totally against the idea of me spending the day alone. I could tell from the way he responded to me leaving but he didn't stop me. I was kind of glad but a bit more disappointed.

I remembered back in high school when you had that month or year where you told all your friends that you wanted to go wherever, whether it was Paris, Rome, or in my case, Ireland. Being a Jumper you would have had thought 'Oh, well she could have just jumped there'. Yes… and no.

I never wanted to leave my house at night besides if it was with Tyson. It was the only spot I felt comfortable and normal. I almost never wanted to leave my brother's side after Mom and Dad's deaths.

So, I decided to go to Ireland. I pictured myself on one of the beaches; the ones that on land, it was unreach able because of the sheer drop ahead of you. It wasn't as windy down here and it was quiet all except for the ocean. I stuck my hands under my armpits, held my arms close to my body and strode along the beach.

So peaceful… so quiet… so serene.

I sighed happily until I heard other footsteps. I looked over my shoulder and I saw no one. I walked a bit faster, panic immediately striking at my heart. The dead Paladin flashed painfully in my mind and I felt sick to my stomach. "Who's there?" I spun around and let out the breath I had been holding. It was only Griffin. He jumped closer, facing me.

"I didn't like where you ended up. Too far away."

I laughed lightly and weakly, still a bit shaken.

"Sorry; I didn't know it was so hard to jump half the world in under a minute." He smiled, actually smiled! I continued on walking, slightly humming to myself. Griffin decided to join me. "I thought I said I wanted to be alone," I regretted the words as soon as they came tumbling out of my mouth. He paused and stuttered, "Hey, I didn't mean-" I stopped and smacked my palm against my head.

"No, I don't mean what I said. I think I wanted to say that I'm glad you went against my orders and followed after me any way," I smiled. He shook his head and said, "Now, wait, orders? You ever said I had to follow your rules?" I placed my hands on my hips and said, "Uh, me!" He jumped.

"Uh?" I blinked and looked around, wondering where he went.

"Griff- AHHHH!" I literally jumped more than a couple yards away when he yelled nonsense behind me. Griffin stood where I had stood, laughing his f***ing little British ass off.

"That was not funny!" I shouted, half way across the beach. He stopped laughing, but he chuckled to himself. "It looked pretty funny from my point of view," he said. I turned my back on him and stomped off, a bit pissed off and a bit bubbly inside. Then he jumped in front of me, so close that the air whooshed back my hair.

"Go away, Griffin," I growled at him. He chuckled as I whipped around to walk the other way. Just as he jumped, I jumped around him. Ether by pure accident or by Griffin's will, we tripped over each other when we just about jumped to the same spot. Griffin knew I would jump around him. We were blown to the ground next to each other. I was just laughing when Griffin shook the sand out of his messy, brown hair. I laughed some more when half of his hair landed in his face.

"What?"

"You look… handsome with your hair like that," I paused. I wondered if that was going to far.

*********

Griffin felt himself trip only a little by Leah's comment. So she does like him, huh? Something stirred in his chest and he realized what he wanted: Leah. The way her body laid in the sand (and her nice curves), her filthy blond (almost brown) hair floated just barely above her shoulders in their jagged cutting at the ends.

The way her bangs that just blended into the sides of her hair… he thought she was more the most original looking person he had ever seen. Some always wanted to show off some type of their body, female or male. Everyone wanted to look like someone else, whether a best friend or a celebrity. She didn't; she just let everything be.

Also, she had guts in some ways. If she was alone, she would give up (another reason he didn't like her leaving alone) and accept fate's decision (one of her weak points) but even with him, who taunted, beat the shit out of her the first time he saw her, she fought her best.

Look at the way she saved him! She said she had a nightmare (obviously contained something to do with him), thought of Griffin and raced off to his lair to find him missing. So, she just followed after the jumpscar and rescued him. She pretty much threw herself in front of Death and him. One thing that he hated and loved at the same was the urge to protect her. Griffin knew he was selfish and knew if it were anyone else, he wouldn't care if they died or not. With Leah, he would.

Her spunky and loyal personality her laugh, the cocky look in her eyes (when she had beaten him at his own game), her jokes and sneers: he saw a lot of himself already there and growing inside her. He liked her, a lot.

But another part of his mind, his logical side, was beating up his somewhat love-struck side. She'll end up dieing like the rest of them or he would end up hurting. And with Leah, Griffin felt he could never forgive himself if she got hurt, mentally or physically. Which is why he had stayed up all night when he had rescued her from freezing all night. Not that he would have left her out there.

That night, Griffin couldn't get the sight of Leah, who was normally pretty confident around him, breakdown at the sight of the dead Paladin. He understood what angle where she was coming from. The metallic sight of blood, the way it was liquid but still kind of think to the touch. He knew that it would permanently leave a scar, a reminder of what she did to another human being. For him, it didn't bother him a little bit. But, he had almost grown up with the feeling of blood lust. She hadn't.

"Leah…" He spoke when he shoved the logically side of his mind down into the dirt.

**********

When he spoke my name, I knew he hadn't 'wandered off' on me. I felt his arm wrap around my shoulder and he pulled me closer in the sand. I giggled as he flinched from the sand being sprayed in his face; he smiled because of my laugh. So I merely slowly snuggled up to him. He lifted my chin with the tip of his hand and looked deeply in my eyes. We met half way, both of our lips going equal amounts. I hoped he noticed this was my first kiss.

Yes, my very first kiss! I was never relationship active during high school. I mean, in middle school when I had 'gal pals' (girlfriends) to chat boys about, I talked about the guys in the school at our sleepovers. But never did I feel I had a connection with anyone but Tyson, who was strictly my best friend.

The kiss was passionate but overkill. It was short and sweet; I loved it. He looked at me and I just burst out laughing when I saw it. He was taken back.

"What, Leah?"

"Oh, Griffin!" I pulled myself into a sitting position. "Hold still," he immediately froze to the spot. Just barely, his eyes followed my hands as if he was afraid if he moved something terrible would happen. I scooped up a little lizard, lowered my hand to the ground and it quickly scrambled off my hand into the sand, happy to be free of Griffin's mess-of-what-he-called hair. Griffin jumped up, scratching and shoving his hand through his hair. "I'm not laying down anymore in the sand. I don't care if you have to DRAG-" I interrupted him by kissing his lips. He immediately kissed right back and in seconds, we were on the ground. We stopped and he wrapped his arm around me, like a shield of protection.

"Drag me down, but I guess this works too."

I chuckled before we kissed again.

Over the days things it change. At first, he avoided me after the day we spent on Ireland (staying far away as we possibly could from people) and he had slept on it. He was grumpy and gone for the most of the day. I merely sat on the couch beating level after level on his video game. The game console turned out to be a **PS2**. But by the time he was home, he had calmed down and we hugged each other close as we fought on the game.

The day after that day, he seemed a bit more welcoming; I still slept on the couch though he was normally on the chair when I woke up. He was smiling more and more often. But that night he had gotten upset after he had lost track of one of his Paladins.

"Damnit!" Griffin swore at the computer. I looked up from a book I had bought back in Ireland. "What's wrong?"

"Paladins missing!" He slammed his fist against his desk. I jumped behind me and peered over his shoulder. I couldn't make out most of it, so I just agreed with him. "That sucks." He snorted and said, "Not only does it suck it also means I have lost the most recent connection I had too Danny," he paused for a moment. "Sorry," he muttered. I laughed and jumped back to the couch and said, "It's alright."

Danny… Danny. He hadn't been brought to my mind for a while (I still had to figure out what time and day of the week and what month it was). Now all of a sudden, this happened. A sick feeling entered my stomach and I couldn't continue on reading. Griffin jumped next to the couch, standing over me and slightly leaning on it's back.

"I'm going to find that damn Paladin."


	15. Chapter 15

***Author's Note* I DO NOT own anything! _Jumper_ (c) 20th Century Fox! I DO own Leah & Danny (Jennings) and Tyson (Johnson), so- Leah & Danny (Jennings) and Tyson (Johnson) (c) to Penmaster51, aka ME!**

* * *

Griffin stood in the lair, facing Leah.

"Do you have to go?"

He nodded curtly and she said, "Be careful… and go kick some ass!" He smiled and shook his head when he jumped away. Tokyo, Japan! That is what his research/tracking said they end up appearing next in. He shifted his messenger bag on his shoulder; he hadn't brought it along in a while.

He crossed with the group of people, stuffing his hands in his pockets. Then the rain started to beat down. "F***ing great!" He muttered to himself as he weaved to and fro the crowd. 'Why did the Jumper cross the road?' Griffin thought to himself. He glanced behind himself, seeing an obvious Paladin following him.

'To get away from Paladins.'

I shifted on the couch, quite cold as the rain outside poured down. I was cold and already had one of Griffin's jackets over my hoodie and was lying underneath my regular blanket. But I was still shivering and shaking underneath. I wanted Griffin's body against mine, his body heat keeping me warm. Not imamate objects!

I pushed the blanket off angrily. Why couldn't Griffin let me go? Because what happened a few nights ago. I still shivered at the thought. I decided against my better judgment to look around the lair. As I started shifting things, I realized a lot more stuff was burned and scorched. Papers that hung on the walls covered burn marks. Griffin must have had a fire or something! I picked up the raggedy rug that was underneath the small table and saw more burning marks. I swallowed down my panic, put everything back in its original spots and wrapped myself around with the blanket again. I could only hope that Griffin would be back soon.

A spasm of pain went up his back as the other person slammed him against it. Only Roland, who was the once leader of the Paladins, had ever been Griffin's match. Looks like they found a replacement. Griffin jumped before the other man could smash in his face with his fist. After he jumped, Griffin whipped around to face him only to be kicked too quickly. This was no Paladin; it was a Jumper.

He picked up Griffin, who was bloody and bruised (not only his body but his pride). He was also cursing as the other Jumper picked him up and smacked his back against the building. Griffin's body threatened his mind to faint. The other Jumper knew this too.

"So, Griffin, you pair up with my sister, huh?" Griffin's ears rang as Danny shoved him harder against the wall. "Answer me!" Danny hissed in his face. Griffin lifted his eyes and stared directly at the enemy. He spat the blood out of his mouth to the left and said nothing. That's when he felt the agony in his stomach explode.

I sat on the couch, playing the final level of the same game for the sixth time. I threw down the controller as it said again that I had 'Beaten old record' for whatever reason. The rain was still pouring and I had to actually dig a trench along the front of the opening to keep it from rolling in. But I could have cared less about the rain: it was probably almost twelve o'clock at night and Griffin still hadn't come back.

Griffin dropped to the ground, making the pain all over his body come again. Danny stood over him, squatting down on his knees.

"Now, you know where my sister is?"

Griffin said nothing but curses at him as he struggled up. Never has he felt so weak in his life- but he wasn't the only bloody and bruised. Danny was actually in no better shape.

"Fine. Be that way!"

He stomped down on Griffin who jumped away and ended up leaning against a wall, panting. Danny craned his neck around his shoulder and said, "Griffin, Griffin, you aren't going to live very long if you keep fighting…" After another tussle, where Griffin had the upper hand until Danny jumped away and came back with a weapon; none other than a bat. For the first few minutes of the new fight, Griffin was trying to stay conscious when Danny took powerful swings at him. A fatal mistake Griffin made: he moved in a pattern. Danny smacked him in the back of head and Griffin fell to the ground with a sputter of muffled curses and groans.

Danny pulled out the Paladin's, electrifying sticks and pinned him down with it. "Now, I think you'll listen to me." Griffin could only look up and flinch from the shocks that swept through every nerve of his body.

"Damnit Griffin! I'm gonna kill you when you get back!" I screamed at the top of my lungs at the air and space in the lair. I was completely losing it, I thought to myself. I'm completely losing it because I am now screaming at nothing about someone far away from here. "Shit," I said out loud and slouched my shoulders, still angry at Griffin.

"One week, Griffin," Danny's voice was menacing and wicked to Griffin's ears. "More than enough days to get ready and meet us at the coliseum in Rome, Italy on the eighth day from today. You've been there before, haven't you?" Griffin could only growl his answer as another spasm of electricity pulsed through his body.

Danny hummed happily, "Hmmm. And remember our position; I'll leave Leah alone if you get her away from you and she doesn't come to the coliseum. Otherwise, I'll personally find her and wring her neck in front of you."

"You'll kill her ether," Griffin flinched again, pausing to gasp, "ether way!"

"Maybe, maybe not. You'll find out on the eighth day."

Danny unhooked Griffin from the nets and jumped away to leave a beaten Griffin to crawl to his tossed messenger bag. Griffin's thoughts swirled in his mind as he struggled to remain conscious. One week… till Griffin has to face his ultimate enemy.


	16. Chapter 16

***Author's Note* I DO NOT own anything! _Jumper_ (c) 20th Century Fox! I DO own Leah & Danny (Jennings) and Tyson (Johnson), so- Leah & Danny (Jennings) and Tyson (Johnson) (c) to Penmaster51, aka ME!**

**Warning*- _This is Leah, here! Hi everybody! I just wanted to say that there is adult based themes in this chapter! Nothing graphic but the author is just being polite by putting this forwarning here! Feel free to read, but just remember this warning if you aren't aloud, or don't want to read or for whatever reason, adult based themes, please skip to next chapter! Thank you!_ -signed Leah. **

* * *

That night, while I was barely asleep I heard a loud thud then a groan. I looked around, scrambling up as I did so. Look who decided to show up! I had found Griffin's room after I recovered from looking at the scorch marks. The bed wasn't much and had a few tossed around blankets. At least I knew where to find him.

He was rolling over when I jumped in.

"Hi Leah," he said weakly with a blank face when he sat up. I stood there, arms folded against my chest and an angry face at him. Then I saw the tattered clothing, bloody smears and bruises on his face. "Now I can see why you were not coming back very soon," he chuckled but stopped as soon as his body moved.

"Good god," I whispered as I sat next to him. He could barely move! I noticed the red marks, resembling those shock marks I had gotten. "They got you," was what I wanted to say but I held back my tongue. I think he knew that. "I'll be right back!" And I jumped.

I was in the back of a drugstore, snooping around in the storage part. I found it: First Aid Kit. I grabbed it and also extra bandages that were next to it. I jumped back to his lair and placed it on the couch just as I realized he was sitting on the chair, asleep. I sighed and shook my head; no matter how hard I tried to stay angry with him, when he was asleep he seemed so peaceful… and cute.

I decided to sleep also, since it was like, two in the morning and I didn't realize how tired I was till I saw Griffin asleep. I pull his jacket that I was using; I didn't bother for the blanket. Griffin's presence was warm enough for me. Soon, I was peacefully asleep.

No more than maybe an hour later, I heard muttering and curses. I opened my eyes and saw Griffin using the First Aid Kit. I peered under the blanket, not wanting to disturb him. I couldn't fall asleep now; he was awake! So I jumped right behind him.

"Do you need help, Griffin?"

"No, I don't!" He snapped back. I rolled my eyes, barely stung by his harsh words. He huffed and shoved the kit aside, putting up his feet instead. I saw the extent of the damage the Paladin did to him; bruises covered his bare chest and stomach, some matching on his side. I noticed some on his shoulders as my eyes traced the bruises down his back. He spoke and interrupted my thought.

"Like what you see there, princess?"

I was about to snap back at him when he started snickering with amusement. "No! I mean-uh, um, forget it! Just forget it! I was wondering how in hell did you get these bruises!" He smiled and shook his head.

"Sure…" I scowled and smacked his shoulder. He jumped when our skin touched and swore, "Ow! The f***ing hurt!" I stuck out my tongue, jumped across the room to safety and retorted back to him. "Maybe you shouldn't have made me mad." He growled and jumped after me, smiling when he pinned me against the wall. "That's not fair! You've been," I slipped out of his grasp and jumped back to his computer, leaning on the chair, "jumping longer than I have!"

He smiled and I laughed as he jumped, picked me, then jumped to his room to throw me on the bed. I bounced, laughing. He stood over me with a devilish smile and I only smiled back, batting my eyelashes. "You seem to in so pain," I said and he laughed as he brought his face closer. "I think I'll survive this."

His lips met mine and I could feel the connection and spark between us. He had braced himself above me and I threw my arms around his neck, pulling him closer. He crawled onto the bed with me, barely breaking our make out session and I barely took notice of his shoes hitting the floor with two thuds. I rolled over and we lay in the middle of the bed (still making out). I could barely pay attention because my eyes were closed with pleasure so only my mind was active (besides my lips) and my thoughts drifted to when I first met him…

_As I was strolling along, still upset and angry at the world, a guy was pushed out of a back door of a bar. I heard the music blaring as the bartender yelled up him. He spoke with a British accent as he yelled right back at the bartender. The bartender flipped him off and slammed the door right in his face. The guy through up his arms, cursing, then noticed me. I froze, trying not to make any sudden movements. _

He had beaten the crap out of me… wow, I still didn't know why! "Griffin," I murmured as I felt his body rub against mine, asking to be invited in. "Why did you beat the crap out of me when I first saw you?" I whispered. Our kiss broke abruptly. His face pulled back from mine, his blue eyes sparked with excitement (cough, cough*) and also curiosity.

"What kind of question is that?"

"An honest one-" He put his lips back on mine, making my words die in my throat. Passion sparked between us and I could tell both of our bodies wanted only one thing. That's when I heard him say, "You've still got my shirt on." I paused but he continued on asking for more, pushing his lips against my mouth and neck.

"Why… how does that matter?" I whispered as I started to feel his hands rub against my sides, bringing the shirt with them. I started to feel his chest, tracing his pack. Our lips just wouldn't unlock from each other. I gasped mentally as I felt his cold hands against my back, rubbing it.

"I find it sexy, that's all," he murmured.


	17. Chapter 17

***Author's Note* I DO NOT own anything! _Jumper_ (c) 20th Century Fox! I DO own Leah & Danny (Jennings) and Tyson (Johnson), so- Leah & Danny (Jennings) and Tyson (Johnson) (c) to Penmaster51, aka ME!**

* * *

I opened my eyes, locked in a hug with Griffin snoring next to me. All I had was an over large shirt and my underwear beneath it. I shivered with excitement and quietly as possible, I giggled. You sound like a love-stuck idiot, I thought to myself. Then I answered: but I am! I smiled before getting up, putting my clothes back on and going to get some breakfast for Griffin and me.

*********

Griffin stretched, his body still sore. He shoved his hand through his hair, remembering the annoying lizard that was in it the day before. He tried not to remember that and yesterday. Then he realized why it was so cold! He opened his eyes and Leah was gone! He bolted up, glancing around. Then let he let his head fall back to the pillow, he grunted as he did so. She probably just left to get some breakfast.

He frowned as he brought up the question she asked last night.

_"Why did you beat the crap out of me when I first saw you?"_

'Well, at first,' he thought, 'you were a Paladin and were hunting me. For the first five seconds that is. You jumped and I followed; I was angry and I put you as my target... I was also part drunk.' But there was also a back-story to that story… Griffin remembered the day Tyson found him in the power lines.

_Griffin flinched and growled nasty stuff about the many that put him there: David. He struggled to get out but had no escape route to do so. It was hot out and sweat was pouring down his neck. He had no protection from the elements._

_"This is just f***ing great!" He shouted at no one._

_"Yeah. It looks like you've got yourself stuck there, buddy."_

_Griffin shot his head down and shouted, "Hey, come up and get me down!" The young man laughed. His bleach blond hair and bright eyes annoyed Griffin; he was laughing at him._

_"And why should I help you? After all, it's probably your fault you're up there. I don't want to meddle in other people's affairs."_

_Griffin scoffed him and said with a sneer, "What, too afraid?"_

_The man looked deep in thought for a second and then said, "No, I'm not. But I'm also not stupid." 'Good answer,' Griffin thought to himself. "Oh, come on! Just help me, damnit!" The man laughed at him again. "You're pretty desperate, there… uh, what's your name?" 'Anything for him to get me out of here,' Griffin reluctantly thought. "Griffin," he said, eyeing the friend or foe._

"_Griffin, huh? I'm Tyson," he paused as if he wanted Griffin to say something, "and nice to meet you," he sarcastically added. "I'm in no mood to be polite!" Griffin shouted as a powerful surge coursed through his nerves. "GET ME DOWN!" Tyson took a step back, putting up his hands defensively. "No need to get bitchy about it," he muttered._

_Tyson looked up at Griffin and what mess he had gotten himself into. "You can't jump away?" "Uh, duh! If I could I wouldn't be in this problem!" Tyson rolled his eyes and hummed when he thought of something. Then he jumped and Griffin stretched out his hand weakly, cursing every living breath David was or took. He felt all of a sudden free… till he hit the sand. He groaned, rolling over._

_Then the sun was blocked._

"_I remember you!" Tyson exclaimed._

"_That's nice," Griffin retorted back to him, still struggling to get up._

"_You're that guy- that jumper who hunts Paladins! Duh, you fit the description perfectly!" _

_Griffin gave the man a look._

"_You're on the Paladin's website."_

"_Huh." 'No surprise, dumbass!'_

_Tyson backed up as Griffin got up. His eyes almost looked suspiciously at Griffin, who stretched. Then Tyson started to stare off in the distance. "What?"_

_Tyson blinked and said, "Nothing. Just thinking…" He went back to staring at the landscapes. Griffin started to walk away. "Wait! Wait up," Tyson called after him._

"_Leave me alone," Griffin mumbled curtly back._

"_No, just wait up- just hear me out, okay?"_

_Griffin stopped and faced the young man. He could barely pull off being twenty, at least. "What?" "I've been looking for this girl and-" Griffin just waved his hand at the sentence, "I don't care about your love problems, kid."_

"_No," Tyson jumped in front of him, "that's not what I was saying. I need you to track her for me. I've been looking for them since her parents died. I don't even remember how long ago was that…" Griffin rolled his eyes. "I don't care about your girlfriend." Tyson grabbed his arm and yanked it. Griffin whipped around but also his head spun from the force of spinning. "I could put you back in that electric tower, you know. You're weak right now; all energy drained. Now, hear me out…" Griffin listened._

"_I can't believe I'm doing this," he muttered to himself. Supposedly to the Tyson kid, she always wanted to go to New York City (as every girl did!) and he had a 'pretty recent' picture of her. Griffin couldn't help but admire her. But she was nothing special. Just another face among many in a crowd. He stuffed the picture into his pocket and headed off to New York._

_Apparently she had a brother named Daniel, Damon, Danny… something like that and he was popular and he too was a Jumper, Tyson had guessed. But his goal was to find out where the girl was lived. He grumbled something as he walked into a bar. After drinking enough beer to make him a bit woozy but he was also very irritated when he was drunk. Which normally led to someone getting hurt. _

_The barman looked at him closely as Griffin showed him the picture. "Do you know who this woman is?" The barman looked and said, "Lots of girls look like that, kid! How am I supposed to tell the difference! Go find someone else to bother with your stupid question," All Griffin heard was stupid and that set him off. He grabbed the barman's collar and lifted him up._

"_Look, I have enough of this bullshit! Tell me if you have seen her or-" A pair of strong arms wrapped around Griffin. He looked to both of his sides and growled when they pinned his arms against his back. His mind screamed to jump and his body itched to do so but he knew that would totally blow his cover. He caught himself when the security guard shoved him out and the barman told him never to go in his bar again. Griffin staggered and shot nasty curses at him and had the door slammed in his face. Then he saw the girl._

_Being partly drunk and being angry, he could only really blurred vision. She resembled David's mother too much for him to like. So he attacked her. She jumped away and he followed her. He started to challenge who she was when he landed a few blows on her. By the time he had realized who she was, she was crumpled on the ground, passed out._

"_Oh, shit!" So he jumped her back to his lair and did his best to wake her up. Just before he did, he contacted Tyson by jumping to England and calling from a pay phone._

"_You f***ing did what?! My god, I'm going to beat you into a pulp-"_

"_She's fine- just a bit bruised. If she mentions me, try your best to act like you barely know me. I don't think she'll like the thought of you stalking her," he had sneered at Tyson. 'Plus, like you could ever beat me!'_

"_Shut up! Just wake her up and hopefully she jump to her hometown." Tyson hung up on his end and Griffin repeated the same action. He jumped her back to his lair and woke her up._

Griffin yawned and got up, changing quickly into new clothing.

He jumped into the family room, deciding to play the PS2. The silence sliced through the room. 'So quiet without Leah,' he thought. As he picked up the PS2's controller, he remembered Danny's threat: "One week." Panic made a knot in his stomach; yesterday was the first, today the second. Danny said the eighth day from yesterday and that means… six, give or take a couple of hours, days till Leah has to be out of his hair and away from him. He knew there was only one way to do so and now, he felt so guilty about last night.

Griffin really liked having Leah around; it kept him a bit more normal and human when she was around. Reminded him that he did have morals once long ago. 'Leah, would you ever frickin forgive me afterwards?'

No. She probably wouldn't.


	18. Chapter 18

***Author's Note* I DO NOT own anything! _Jumper_ (c) 20th Century Fox! I DO own Leah & Danny (Jennings) and Tyson (Johnson), so- Leah & Danny (Jennings) and Tyson (Johnson) (c) to Penmaster51, aka ME!**

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I was peacefully sipping my coffee in one of New York's many cafes. I was enjoying the crisp morning air and all. I had taken a shower at some empty apartment and felt clean & refreshed. I also found a new pair of pants, since mine were just about ready to fall apart, new hoodie but I kept Griffin's shirt though I did take another one in case I needed it. A waitress passed me, carrying an empty tray.

"Excuse, miss?"

"Hmm?"

"What time is it?"

The waitress glanced at her watch and answered me, "About 10:05, sweetie." Then she walked off. I smiled; such nice people here or was it just because I was so bubbly and cheerful today. But when I arrived back at the lair, the atmosphere was all back bubbly and cheerful.

Everything was silent and I could barely hear the gun shooting- Griffin was playing one of his games. I strolled over, letting my smile fall from my face. I jumped and landed, next to him. He barely stirred, only moving a slight inch away. I looked over him; his flight frown on his face, his rigid body posture but the one thing that really blew me away was that he was purposely avoiding my eye contact.

It was one thing to move your eyes around when your talking with someone, trying not to be impolite and stare at them but it is a totally different thing to purposely avoid eye contact. Something was wrong and I was going to get to the bottom of it.

That was going to take a few days. That night, we fell asleep together on the couch. But the very next morning, I woke up and saw him already moving around and the couch looked like it had been slept in. My anger started to boil in my stomach and I got suspicious. It was the third day since he had come back to the lair beaten up and bloody. Something had happened or someone told him something.

What happened? I wanted to ask him so badly but for some unknown reason, I held my tongue silent. When I was just about finishing up my book, Griffin spoke up.

"Do you remember me, uh, drowning?"

I shivered, letting out a breath. Yes, I remembered it. I remembered the dream that turned into a nightmare. Yes, I remembered I almost got the both of us killed.

"Yeah. Why?" I shook my head to rid of the awful memories and replaced them with something else. That was a really odd thing to say, even for Griffin.

"Just wondering…" I narrowed my eyes but he didn't press it. He was out of character; he was too quiet, he wasn't joking or teasing me and he wasn't angry. What was bothering him? It would drive me insane if I didn't find out soon!

********

The same day he asked Leah about him drowning (and it was the fourth day of Griffin's week limit), Griffin could already tell that Leah was being driven very close to her edge by his sudden quietness. He didn't like it at all too; he wanted to be teasing and picking on her as normally he would. But 'normal' didn't exist anymore. He had to push her away, make her feel alone in the world. This night, he would sleep in his bed and her on the couch, as it first was when she stuck around the lair. Griffin knew that would really get to her.

Griffin also guessed that if he got angry with her it may give a better reason for her to leave him be. His thoughts drifted to Danny… Griffin had little hope that he would survive the next encounter with Danny. It was very unlikely that he would come alone and unarmed as he did a couple nights ago. He gripped the mouse tighter, making it creak with the sudden pressure. Leah doesn't bother to look up; whether she was just reading her book, for the second time now, or she was ignoring him. Danny! He was the one who put him in this f***ing mess! The one who was making him- he felt the whoosh of Leah leaving. He merely glanced over his shoulder and saw her gone.

**********

I strolled along the sidewalks of Manhattan. It was crowded beyond what I have ever seen and it made me feel lonely. Many couples walked by me, snickering in each other's ears and then laughing at the secret joke. A couple women shot me a sympathetic smiles; they all had gone through what I'm going through right now and probably had a much more romantic relationship when it happened than I did. I huffed, feeling a bad mode coming on.

I knew Griffin would end up finding me as he came up from behind me. He walked with a foot between us, keeping it the same for most of the time. He didn't want to be near me! I wanted to stomp my foot out and cry in frustration!

"Can't you see this is driving me insane?! Can't you see that I love you?!" I wanted to scream this at him and go back to the day in Ireland and the night. But I knew if I screamed it he would still be deaf, lost within himself or the world. I quickened my speed, and stuck my head up high. I could see Griffin had some raging war going on inside himself and one side must have won when he crept closer to me when a few guys walked by.

I had to giggle to myself at his face. The old saying: 'If looks could kill,' really connected with this moment. The men turned to look back at me, no doubt in my mind to look at my butt, but instead they got Griffin's deadly glare. A couple of them, I noticed as I looked over my shoulder, had quickened their speed. Soon, their friends realized the smart in it and ran after them.

"Bloody assholes," Griffin muttered to himself.

I answered sharply, "Yeah, they are." Then I noticed Griffin took the hint and put the foot between us again.


	19. Chapter 19

***Author's Note* I DO NOT own anything! _Jumper_ (c) 20th Century Fox! I DO own Leah & Danny (Jennings) and Tyson (Johnson), so- Leah & Danny (Jennings) and Tyson (Johnson) (c) to Penmaster51, aka ME!**

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The fifth day passed as the same as yesterday; she jumped somewhere and he ended up following her. But on the sixth, Griffin couldn't bring himself to even look her directly in her eyes. And she knew it.

Some how she knew something was wrong; he was doing something or going to do something. But the problem for her was that she didn't know what he was going to do; she could guess and guess but never spoke her opinions or thoughts. She barely spoke to him and returned his not-looking-in-your-eyes-when-we-speak gig. She was prepared for the show down and she was getting fueled up with frustration. It wouldn't be long now…

********

Two days had passed since the stroll in New York, the one before yesterday 9the fifth day) we barely spoke to each other and he didn't even look me in the face; yesterday (the sixth) I jumped around a bit and found him following me quietly. What was wrong with them?! It was so god damn frustrating!

It's been pretty much two days sense Griffin said anything towards or in general direction at me. Two days of agonizing and frustrating (f***ing not talking to me AT ALL) silence. Something was breaking inside me; I could feel the 'break-up wind' as one of Danny's best friends, a girl, said.

"If you truly liked the guy besides his looks then you defiantly will feel the break-up wind. It comes on as complete silence for the few days. They cut off most of your communication or sometimes completely ignored you- then, boom! It's over; I found someone else; there's another girl or he's cheating on you. The really good relationships, the ones that you would sell your soul to the devil kind, never last long not unless he asked you to marry him."

I got up, grabbing my hoodie and jumping away before Griffin said anything (not that he probably would). The apartment was quiet but I soon found a radio and some odd CDs. I popped them and played them quietly, not exactly caring if I attracted others.

********

Griffin caught his breath as he thought of what day it was. The sixth day… tomorrow was the day. He felt himself get angry, his blood pumping through his body like he wanted to fight now. He did. He wanted to show Danny that when Griffin O' Conner is totally prepared, he could kick ass! But something stopped him from just jumping to the stadium and calling out Danny; Danny obviously wouldn't leave it unguarded and he could easily contact him through the Paladins' dead bodies. The reason was Leah.

********

Griffin didn't even to bother to come and stalk me today. I laid in the cold, freezing bed alone, very late at night. I jumped myself onto my other side, so that the bed didn't squeak and creak at my shifting. Three emotions filled me till I was almost bursting when I thought of Griffin.

Anger. Anger because he was ignoring me! Not even shy girls after…after what we did together would want to be ignored! Especially not me! I would only want to be alone if I was depressed or tired! He was really pushing my limits; my friends and maybe even Tyson would have already pushed me over the edge by now…

Loneliness. I felt so lonely and longing when I would think of his messy brown hair and scruff on his face. The way his eyes twinkled with mischief when he teased me plus his passionate kisses. I missed him! He was pushing me away for no clear reason and I didn't want to be pushed away. What am I suppose to do? Where am I supposed to go? Who will stand by my side? I shivered at the thought of fighting alone. I'll fight, but I just… I just feel so much more confident with Griffin near me. Even more so than Danny!

Love. I love him, think. I love him till the end of time, even after the world ends, on the battlefield or in the lair, playing video games. I couldn't just forget him like that. I actually never would forget Griffin.

"You can never forget Griffin O' Conner."

Isn't that what Tyson said?

I snuggled closer to myself and almost whimpered. But darkness started to come closer and closer, so soon I couldn't keep my eyes open anymore. Just before I fell asleep, I saw the alarm clock. It said 2:25 am.

I yawned, blinking the sleep out of my eyes. The sun glowed through the blinds; it must have already been quite high! I felt a smile embrace my face. I rolled over stretching and then I felt the cold pillow. My heart sank lower than last night- or really early morning, I think. The pillow was ice cold and as soon as I tossed the blankets off, I knew why. I shivered and strode over to the dirty, dirty pile of clothing I had been wearing. I scowled at the filth; it was almost to the point of disgusting.

Luckily a women lived here and I was able to 'burrow' clothing, frowning as I searched through her stuff. As I pulled out a plain white t-shirt, a… brown hoodie (yuck!) and a fresh pair of pants with my still-in-tack belt holding them up. I found a comb, slipped it through my hair till I looked presentable. I was about to pull it into a ponytail, a habit in which I did when something troubled me or I was just too lazy to deal with my own hair. I decided to let it hang loose and free, running a hand loosely through it. I climbed back onto the bed and decided to waste my day away watching TV.

By the time I had looked at the alarm clock, it said 2 O' Clock pm. I chuckled to myself and sipped my water, flipping through many reality shows.

At first, I thought I heard a light knock on the 'front' door to the apartment; I paused, and listened with strained ears. Another light knock on the door came... then nothing. I dropped my hands from the remote after I turned the TV off and jumped into the family room. I peered around the corner of the wall and saw Griffin, raiding the fridge. Angry boiled in my stomach and pumped my adrenaline; I didn't feel like talking to HIM. I jumped away, on to some odd street probably near the ocean maybe.

I shoved my hands into my pockets and pulled the hood up, to have some protection from the frickin wind. I wasn't exactly sure where I was and I don't think I every really cared. I was merely away from Griffin- I heard my name being called. I didn't break stride but started walking faster. "Leave me alone," I mumbled angrily to myself. Without breaking my fast stride, I turned into a small area between two buildings and jumped myself to Ireland's streets. I heard his footsteps before he jumped right behind me and grabbed my arm.

"Leah-"

"What Griffin?!" I said right before he whisked us back to the lair.

"What to do you want?" I snapped at him. He seemed to be feeling angry, frustrated and stressed all at the same time.

"Uh, nothing- no, I wanted-" I shifted my weight to my other leg and was about to jump, to my face expression when Griffin stopped me.

"Wait… Leah," He smashed his lips against mine. I completely responded at first, returning it. But his wasn't passionate; it was desperate and angry. I just about fainted from delight and happiness, before my rage took over.

I shoved him and growled dangerously again, "Don't touch me."

Then I narrowed my eyes at him suspiciously. I forced down the shiver of light with a quick gulp. I crossed my arms over my chest, while I stood there facing him. He'd have to do a lot more than kiss me for me to forgive him.

"Look, Leah-"

"No! You look here, Griffin O' Conner! You pretty much didn't speak for me for a week! How can you think that I'd come crawling back to you?!" Griffin scowled and said, "I wasn't, Leah. Now listen here, I'm trying-"

"I don't care, Griffin! You were pushing me away and away; this is what you get! And I think you deserve it!" I got right up in his face and shoved him away. Then he grabbed my hand and started to bend it back. For a spilt second I looked in his eyes and saw that he didn't want to do this. I jumped to the opening of the lair, my body fuming and rubbing my hand. Griffin spoke up, "Where are you going?"

"Away from here!" I shouted back, trying to keep my anger there.

"Fine! Go! It's not that I wanted you here anyway!"

I froze as if I was just stung by a bee. "Fine, go," I whispered to myself. He really wanted me gone… a one night stand, did Tyson ever mention that in high school? My body started to tremble and at first, I thought I wouldn't even get myself to jump. All the feelings that I had him became numb, not gone, but just unfeeling. I wanted to curl up in a ball and cry my heart out but my anger wasn't done.

"You know what," I shouted as I started to back up, shaking like a leaf in the breeze, "I wish I never did CPR and saved your god damn life! I hate you Griffin O' Conner!" And so I jumped with the tears pouring uncontrollably down my cheeks.


	20. Chapter 20

***Author's Note* I DO NOT own anything! _Jumper_ (c) 20th Century Fox! I DO own Leah & Danny (Jennings) and Tyson (Johnson), so- Leah & Danny (Jennings) and Tyson (Johnson) (c) to Penmaster51, aka ME!**

**This is the LAST chapter, so enjoy it! Please review/comment also! Plus, there is a poll on my profile asking if you guys want a sequel! I kind of already plan on putting one up here, but i just wanted to find out what my fellow readers/writers are thinking! Everyone welcome to it! -Penn**

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I stumbled through the streets, bumping into annoyed people and hearing curses thrown at me. I ignored them; there was no need for me to listen to them. What could they say that would make me feel any worse?

**********

At dusk, Griffin stood outside the coliseum. He looked up at just the right moment to see the tops of the ruins glow, slightly, from the sun behind it. Then he cautiously looked over his shoulder before jumping inside of it, his messenger bag filled completely with weapons and maybe a stick of dynamite or two.

**********

I brushed my hand against the cheek but my cheeks were only cold and dry. Whatever tears I had, were gone now. They had poured out so quickly I barely took notice of them at all. Not that I was taking notice of anything around me. It was all a blur; nothing more than a messed up painting. Nothing but swirling colors and full of emotion but yet only one truly popped out at you.

I turned into a small sidewalk, hoping to avoid everyone. I cursed quietly when I tripped over something. I caught myself and regain my balance. I continued on walking but I glanced quickly at what I tripped over. A cat sat in the spot and meowed; it one of its ears torn. I paused as it came closer. A little dirty red tabby, almost a muddy brown, he was but he also had these bright blue eyes.

I remembered the way I compared Griffin to a cat, he had brown hair and blue eyes. He meowed again and then rubbed against my ankles. I stood shivering in the still air above him. Then he meowed again and raced off. For some reason, instinct told me to follow him. So I ran after him.

***********

Griffin watched the few Paladins guard the exits. He also guessed there were a few hiding about. What had he gotten himself into? Danny appeared out of nowhere, in his hand was something spinning about. A knife. He noticed his belt was lined with knives; he was armed all right. Griffin gripped his messenger bag harder when Danny spoke.

"Why, hello, Griffin!"

***********

"Here, kitty, kitty! Damnit- here, kitty!" I called out to the adventurous cat that ran ahead of me. He meowed and then ran away again. I stopped sliding between a building and a long fence line, paused only for a second to catch my breath.

"What up!" I jumped to the outside of the building & fence then sped off in search of the cat.

I finally found him sitting and cleaning himself, his tongue washing his paw then pulling it over his ear. He stopped as I crouched next to him, panting. He looked at me, slowly blinking as he did.

"What?"

He meowed and leaped onto a garbage can top, meowing as he did. I looked where he was sitting. A map.

"A map? I followed you through the alleys for a map?" He meowed again, leaping down next to me, rubbing and purring around my ankle again. I looked and noticed a little town in Wisconsin that wasn't too far from my old home.

"Are you trying to tell me to start over?" The little muddy brown/red tabby tom (male cat) purred louder and then paused for a second, looked at me and meowed.

"Is that a yes?"

He meowed an answer before he started trotting away. "I take that as a yes," I said before jumping next to him, map still in hand. He jumped back, puffed up and gave a slight hiss. But he blinked, meowed (realizing who I probably was) and rubbed against me (purring of course). I picked him up and stuffed him under my coat. He meowed a protest. But once he shifted half a dozen times, he started to purr until he started to make little kitty snores.

"That didn't take you long to fall asleep, little fella," I said quietly. I glanced around before jumping to an animal shelter I knew that was near here. It looked cleaned and as I peered in the window, it confirmed my guess. Spotless! I scratched his head and he started purring without even opening his eyes.

***********

Griffin held a stick of dynamite in one hand and one of Danny's many knives in his other. Cuts were all over his body and bruises probably were mainly visible than skin. But Danny was no better; he had a deep gash running from the side of his neck to curving down and across, ending about at his collarbone. He was still gushing blood and was very pale.

"Where's your girlfriend, eh, Griffin?! Where's Leah!" Griffin screamed and launched himself to Danny, knife aimed for his heart.

***********

For a moment, my heart ached when I saw the vet nurse woman pick up the little tom, which I had left on the stairs (I knew he was smart enough cat to stay there) and rang the doorbell before jumping into the bushes next to the stairs. But he deserved better! Just like he showed to me. I waved goodbye to him from the bushes and he purred at the sight of me before snuggling close to the woman. She cooed him, stoking him gently.

"You're such a smart guy to come all the way over here, little guy! And gosh, look you're filthy! Well, we fix you up and I have a feeling, you'll be a handsome guy!" She smiled as she picked up and brought him inside.

"Bye little guy," I whispered before jumping to the small town in Wisconsin.

************

"Damn you Danny! F*** every paladin and creature associated with you!" Griffin shouted above the dead Paladin. Danny jumped away the second Griffin was going to kill him; like the coward he was! Then every Paladin launched them onto him, intent on killing him. He had over guessed; there were actually less Paladins he had thought there was. And some damn miracle allowed him to live, only covered in dried blood (also in his spit) from the cuts, bruised every inch of his body and very, very tired.

"Leah," he groaned as he set himself slowly on a rock. He'll have to find a new lair, to make sure Leah doesn't get in real trouble because of him. And Danny wasn't even dead! He pounded the rock only to stumble back and groan from the pain. He grunted as he shook it off, hissing when his index finger moved. He'll have to brace when he finds out his new lair. He picked up his messenger bag with his other hand, slid it over his shoulder.

He paused, and then spat on the rock next to him. As he walked by, Griffin didn't even notice his messenger bag smeared the blood and spit, leaving a long smear on the rock and some of it dried into the fabric of his messenger bag. In the background of the coliseum, the sun was setting. It made the sky look peaceful but bloody at the same time.


	21. Last Minute Note & Sneek Peek!

**Hello all my fellow readers! **

**I've noticed lots of you have on this story: ****So I Jumped**** to your story alert list! Well…****It's done! Completed! :D**

**Well… actually, it's been like that for a while but anyways, I've decided to leave this little note to let you all know that there is a sequel!**

**And that's almost finished too! Only a chapter or two left to post! La-gasp! Oh-no, you better hurry to enjoy it!**

**So if you enjoyed this story or just really want to know what happens, go read the sequel and I'm welcomed to almost any reviews (no flames please)! So, go on down and find that precious sequel!**

**The sequel's name… (dun, dun, dunnnn!)**

**Then The Pain Jumped In****! Go-go-go find it right now! Leave tons of review- hec, review every stinking chapter if it makes you happy! Go! Right now! Heres the summary (really crappy I know but, hey, at least I'm letting you see it!XD)**

**Summary:** Gloria Smith wanted nothing to do with her old life. While two brothers are fighting for her love, Paladins take over their hometown. Then her ex jumps into the picture and saves them, she's more confused than ever. T for language! **Ha-ha! I hope I've just hooked you in! And here's the chapter too! Ohhhh, a sneek peek!**

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Then The Pain Jumped In; Chapter One: Leah/Gloria POV

I groaned and rolled over, groggily hitting the snooze button on my alarm clock. My back was sore, as always, from sleeping on the same bumpy bed for about a year, more or less. I threw the covers off and got ready for work. Yoo-hoo… another day in my boring life.

I jumped to a small grocery store; I found myself in the usual hiding spot: in a bunch of bushes. I rubbed the rest of the sleep out of my eyes, grabbed my black backpack that I had jumped with me and walked in. It was a mini mart, run apparently by the same family since the two grandparents came here. The parents were always away, with their two sons running the place.

There where normally only three employees here: me, Kevin and-

I flinched as the spitball just barely missed my right cheek. Flaming auburn hair with a tan face appeared from behind a stack of soda.

And there was Fred.

He chuckled as he slid into his cashier spot, jumping and sliding over the conveyor belt. He wore the usual red vest marking this as their mini mart. I sighed and slipped my own vest on. I was lucky enough to get this job- I have never went to college since of the parent accident and I don't think I ever will.

Fred took out his ipod and plugged into his home system and started blasting some crazy song by some band I never heard of. The normal, typical average day in the life of-

"Hey, Gloria, your roots are coming back in," Fred said, craning his neck around to look at me.

I ran a hand through my black hair, sighing again. I had to dye it black; I also put a plain blond streak on the right side of my head. I also changed my name: Gloria Smith. I wanted to be a different person; I didn't want to be Leah Jennings anymore and I wasn't, as far as I knew.

"Thanks Fred," I mumbled, making sure my always-crappy scanner was working. It wasn't and I put it down, it was such a lost cause.

"Ever think about dying your hair bright green? Like a neon-"

"Are you," I interrupted, "high or something? Are you smoking something out back that I should know about?"

Fred laughed, his very visible Adam's apple moving. He also ran a hand through his hair, which was a quite a sight. He had it slicked back but not flat against his hair- no, his hair stuck above his head a little bit and stuck out behind his head too. It looked like a great wind forced it all back and then he froze it there. But somehow, it seemed only natural for Fred's crazy personality.

He picked up a bag of Skittles, his true addiction. I have never once seen him without spotting a red wrapper or a full one in his pocket. He ripped it open and started to eat them. He answered me with a full mouth.

"Gloria, I don't need drugs to get high! I get high off of life and it's sweet goodness!"

"Then you must be smoking something," I muttered and he laughed. I knew we were quite odd looking pair. My black hair with a single blond streak and his flaming auburn hair spiked back. His fiery honey-colored eyes, full of excitement and mischief. My dull green ones, full of loneliness and hurt. All of you should have known why.

"Smoke the rainbow, sniff the rainbow!"

"Okay, you are officially insane! You got that?" He jumped onto the conveyor belt, stuffing his face with the rest of the candy. "I got that a long time ago, sweetheart," he said. "Get off and don't call me sweetheart," I growled to him. I shoved him off without waiting for him to get off it himself. I watched him with amusement as he stumbled and fell on his stomach, and then proceeded to skid a few feet before stopping. Fred was also very clumsy.

"You're an ass if you can't adore me! I'm the Fred!"

I rolled my eyes as he stood up, wiping whatever could possibly be on his jeans. "Yeah, sure. And that's why I get all the people." He stuck his tongue out and said, "It's all the guys that you get! I get-"

"The old lady who carries her evil, devil cat in her purse," I said, smiling as I started to clean off the belt. "Look, I wanted to pet the frickin cat and it jumped me! I swear to god, it was Satan and bad karma working together!" Fred said in his defense. He started cleaning his belt too. "Shut up," I mumbled, still smiling all the same. Soon silence poured between us. Fred had taken his ipod off and stuck in earphones in his ears, bouncing his head to the beat.

It was quiet, almost too quiet for me. For a moment, my heart stopped. But then I heard a loud clang and I whipped around to see Fred picking up the cleaner. He pointed to the cut out of a man I didn't now and said, "It was him!"

"Fred, get back to work!" A big guy walked him, his muscles bulging. He sported thin sideburns on his head, his hair a bit more like strawberry blond. He was Kevin, Fred's brother. His hair was usually combed flat and it kind of sprayed out on the sides. "Hello, Gloria," he said. I gave a smile to him as Kevin started wandering the aisles. Fred scowled behind at his cashier; everyone knew Fred was trying to get me to date him since I arrived here.

"Stay away from my girl, 'kay big bro?" Fred asked as Kevin walked over to him. The big man picked up the toothpick (aka Fred) and rubbed his hair. "HEY!" Kevin chuckled and I let out a breath- I was afraid every time he did that, he would crush Fred like a bug.

"DO NOT MESS UP THE HAIR!"

Then the two proceeded to argue and point fingers at each other whom was cuter and whom was more handsome. Then Fred had to drag me into it. "Gloria, who is more adorable?" I turned around to see the two very different brothers with the same green eyes staring back at me.

"More adorable, you say?" I hummed, stalling to hope they just drop it.

"Adorable, yes, Gloria! Cuter! Do I have to spell it out for you?" Fred was growing impatient and I couldn't help admire his slight red cheeks. I narrowed my eyes, tapping my fingers on the metal side of my little cubby cashier line.

"Grif-" I stopped myself; I froze up. Every muscle didn't move an inch and Fred said, "What?" Griffin O' Conner. I guess I can never forget him, huh?

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**Thank you to all have read this and I hope you do read the sequel!**

**Sincerely,**

_**Penmaster51**_


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